Running from Red
by Cactuslotus
Summary: Things have never been easy for a mutant blood, especially when Karkat is a killer by requirement, but what is he to expect of his new life in this new town? For the first time he might actually have true friends, but this town is as dangerous as the last, especially with that carnival still after him. (Dark material, there are monsters.)
1. Chapter 1

Looking back, I should have realized something was wrong. I know, what ever tipped you off? Was it the fact you weren't allowed to leave the house or the panic your parents were whipped intro every time your brother left Karkat, or perhaps it was constantly telling you the outside world was dangerous? In honesty, I didn't even realize those were problems, just strange little quirks about my family.

I stayed inside and looked out of the cracks in the window covers at the trees in the yard and the grass and flowers as I wished I could go outside. I convinced my parents to let me outside only twice, both times they agreed they refused to let me stay up and go outside when the sun was up, the time Kankri always went out, but I was allowed to wander around the yard in the moonlight.

The first time I was outside, they only allowed me in the backyard for a few minutes, one of them focused on me, the other constantly looking around like we might be attacked any moment. It was funny seeing the panicked glances over the fence at the time, but now I realize it was something that should have tipped me off. As soon as I tripped and scraped me knee I was rushed inside, and I was told no to going outside for several months.

The second time I went outside I convinced them to let me play in the front yard for just a few minutes, half the time I had been in the backyard. They agreed only to get me to stop moping around the house, but my short time outside only brought questions. Why weren't there any lights on in the other houses? Why were some of the houses falling apart? Why did spiderwebs cover people's doorways? Why didn't I get to do the things the kids on tv did, like play in the day with other kids? My parents just said that the outside world was weird and dangerous and left it at that.

By the time I turned five I had no clue what other people were like except what I saw on tv and my parent's warnings. Kankri wasn't allowed to talk about his outings except that he went out to do errands and shopping. I begged relentlessly to know what the outside world was like, but he wouldn't budge on his deal to remain silent on that one issue. It was when my parents were sleeping that Kankri had come to wake me up. He shook me awake an said that if I let him prep me for the trip I could go with him. I agreed instantly.

He sat me down in his room and told me I had to promise that I wouldn't talk to anyone, that I would hold his hand the whole time, and that I had to understand people were dangerous, but that he would protect me so I shouldn't attack anyone. I agreed and he said that I had to sit still while he disguised me. He dyed my hair black before pulling a box out from under his bed. The first thing he pulled out were contact lenses for my eyes, thing he trimmed my nails so they were nubby. He said if I absolutely had to talk, talk in this weird way he showed me so no one would see my teeth. He handed me a pendant and said to not take it off no matter what, and despite the fact all of this didn't seem right, I agreed.

Kankri made me put on a really fluffy sweater on over my overalls, a hoodie over that, and made me put on socks before making me put on shoes for the first time. The rain boots were just a little too big on me, but I was excited too were them anyway. I was tired, but I was full of energy the instant I was all ready to go. I've never been up this late before, grinning as soon as I was tightly gripping Kankri's hand in excitement, keys opened the door and we started our adventure.

We walked for a very long time before we reached a bus stop, and I finally realized the whole place and the area around it had been abandoned. The bus stop had someone there, the first living person I had seen outside my family. I had been excited our whole trip to the city until we finally reached our destination, and it dawned on me how many people were here. I pressed myself against Kankri, like somehow he would help me, but to him this wasn't anything out of the ordinary.

I should have looked around at all the other shops that were easily see able from the street and realized we were headed someplace that wasn't quite right. The shop was down a back alley way with a dim sign that simply read 'Oddities'. It was a pitch black sign with purple around the cut out letters, the whole metal sign looking worn and slightly dented and the door not much better off. Not a single window, and when Kankri opened the door to what seemed like an empty room. I realized why only after he closed the door had I realized it was an elevator, the motor whirring to life as the little room rattled.

Now, at this point anyone would have tried turning back, but I was a five year old who made a promise to his big brother, so I just clutched tighter. Even at that point I knew something was up, but I just was shaking rather than doing anything. Younger me had chalked it up as just being scared of the room or being nervous, but I should have payed attention. As soon as the door opened they should have realized that it was more than nerves.

The elevator had opened up to a dark room that barely had bare bulbs dangling from the ceiling every few feet by but it wasn't bright at all. The bulbs were blackish-violet, colors contrasting and a few shades even glow neon in the lighting. Jars and boxes lined the shelves, every once in a while I spotted a little doll hanging from the ceiling.

Kankri scanned the aisles, walking up and down the store slowly. He picked up a few jars, and I actually recognized some of them. What really freaked me out about the place and finally had little five year old me realize something was going on was the boy at the counter. He had his face painted white and bones designed onto his clothes, except for around his chest. Around his chest looked like he was wearing someone's rib cage, and his glaring eyes seemed to say that he actually was.

"So you brought someone along." The boy stated, voice a bit raspy.

"We've been over this Kurloz. He's just my brother, nothing to be worried about." Kankri was talking in his weird way that hid his teeth, putting the jars and the box he had picked up on the counter. "If anything this is a great opportunity for Gamzee to meet someone, don't you think? They're both around the same age and you can still keep an eye on him."

"Gamzee is... out in the city... Unfortunatly. I have to watch the shop, so I can't go looking for him." Kurloz sighed. Of course this ensued into adventure around the city, where we had found Gamzee at the train station through the smell from the shop. The boy had been running around in pants several sizes to big he tied to his waist and a tshirt that was also too big, hanging off one shoulder, white face paint smeared and hair as fluffy as his brother's. His expression was completely zoned out as he stared across the tracks.

When we brought him back Kurloz's expression was first joy, but slowly the slight smile turned sinister as he looked to the two of us. "You know, Gamzee might want to play with your brother. Gamzee? Gamzee." He lightly stroked Gamzee's hair as he repeated his name, managing to shake him from his zoned out trance. "Gamzee, this is Kankri's brother." He motioned to me, and I almost fell over when Kankri let go of my hand.

"Go on Karkat. You're fine." Kankri scooted me closer to the counter and out from behind him, Gamzee immediately spotting me.

Gamzee hopped the counter with a smile, fangless teeth showing. "Woah, you're really small! Come on, I want to show you something." Gamzee lead me behind the counter and down to a room, a nervous glance to my brother in return for a thumbs up before disappearing with Gamzee into the room out of view. As soon as we were in Gamzee closed the door, turning on a regular light. It looked like it was his room, a bed in the corner and pictures he probably drew pinned up on the walls, paint a peeling sickly yellow.

I should have not agreed to go in there, because the first thing Gamzee went on about was a trick his big brother taught him. After trying to play with other toys a bit he brought up the trick again. "Can I try it on you Karkat? It probably won't work, but it might."

"Okay. What is it?"

"Sit right here." Gamzee sat me down in a little chair, pulling up a plastic kiddy table before setting things up on it messily. It looked fairly well ordered when he finished, lighting candles around me. "Hold still." He dipped his fingers in a little cup of something, reaching forward and running his fingers across my head. Neither of us expected a reaction and Gamzee looked more than surprised at the liquid on his fingers. The clear liquid had turned bright red, and my hands flew up to touch my head only to find no wound. "You have horns? It worked!"

I reached up to my horns, surprised they reappeared. They had been gone since Kankri had given me the pendant, but now they were visible again. I should have been scared of what this little boy did to me, but I was excited at the time. "Woah, how'd you do that Gamzee!"

"It's my brother's trick. Wait, is that red?" He leaned very close to me, staring at the color across my forehead. "It's candy red. That means you're special! It's brighter than human blood color, which is super rare. Come on, let's show my brother." He grabbed my hand, leading me back to the strange boy talking to my brother. At the time I wasn't scared at all, excited in fact.

Kankri and Kurloz looked over, both shocked as Gamzee got their attention. Kankri was over the counter in moments, putting himself between me and everyone else, pulling me away from Gamzee in the process. "Kankri!" I was scared, instantly, unsure of what to do. I had stumbled and was on the ground, taking a moment before getting up. "What's wrong?" I tried looking around Kankri only to see Gamzee just as lost, and Kurloz holding a hunting knife.

"So, he's a candy freak." Kurloz eyed me, his glare sending me stumbling back. "I already let you slip by, I can't let another. You must understand the state of things."

"Don't you dare touch him. I thought better of you Kurloz, not resorting to cheap tricks and judging poorly like this. You can't kill h-"

"I'm not killing him... Look at him, barely half your short height. Besides, you know what we do with the rarer catches here. Dad takes them."

"No." Kankri picked me up, arm tightly around me as he pulled my hoodie over my horns quickly. "You can't do that to him! It is fair or dignified in any way." He growled, fangs bared and back to full length. His other arm was outstretched towards the two brothers and as soon as Makkara twitched he was over the counter and in the elevator. He pulled his own hoodie low over his face.

As soon as the doors opened Kankri launched with a single jump onto a fire escape before continuing all the way up. He launched himself rooftop to rooftop, traveling the distance we walked here from the train station quickly. I was too scared to ask him what was going on in that moment and he was focused on moving out of there so much he wouldn't have answered even if I had gotten it together. Quickly we were on a train and heading back to the edge of the city to catch a bus.

The moment we were home Kankri immediately sat me down and ran off only to reappear with a first aid kit. He checked me over from head to toe like he thought I had gotten stabbed, and I was scared to death of what happened. He asked me what happened and told me I could never play with Gamzee again. Gamzee and Kurloz are the Makara brothers and along with their dad were members of a group called the Dark Carnival, getting away with things under the disguise of a traveling circus. Kankri explained his purchases, and that they weren't exactly regular buys. He said that our parents would take me some place far away to be safe and that he was going to lead the Makaras off. Before I fell asleep he left his backpack by my bed, saying if anything happened to keep it with me and run.

That night I woke in a car for the first time, windows shattered and the world on its side, rain trickling in through busted windows. It took me a while to figure out how to get free, and a while to pull the backpack out from its place crammed in the back with the suitcases. I tried waking up my parents, but it was to late for them. I managed to get out of the car in time to hear someone coming down the ravine to investigate, and the terrified five year old I was I ran with my brother's backpack and a pendant around my neck as the only things left from a life spent dreaming about the world in a dusty house.

I'm seventeen now, and I have yet to figure out what happened to Kankri that night or why my parents had crashed, but I was given help from a hit man called Crabdad. He took me in, feed me, raised me as his own, trained me to fight, and every new city we hit he makes sure to keep an eye out for my brother. He knows what I am, and he doesn't care about me being a mutant except for using it as a reason to drill me with even more training. I don't remember what my old last name was, so I've taken his: Vantas. We had to move home base after the cops started catching up to us, so here is hideout house number seven in the middle of plain sight. I swear if something stupid happens I will throw all my rom coms out the window while screeching like an eagle.


	2. Chapter 2

"Get up!" Crabdad tore the blanket off me instantly, leaving me up against the lamp light as his harsh voice boomed over me. "Come on, get up and start with pull ups."

I groaned, knowing he wasn't going to let me sleep in any more. "Can I eat breakfast first?"

"Pull ups first, then breakfast, although you need to do running and I don't need you up chucking everything." He tossed the crab quilt off into the corner.

"Fine, I'll eat after that. Get out of my room!" It took only a moment to shove the mountain of a man out of my room, locking the door before heading over to dig through boxes I've yet to unpack. I pulled on a tank top and hoodie, having to dig through to the bottom before I found my sweatpants. I did pull ups from my closet door frame and even push ups and sit ups before heading downstairs to the smell of bacon.

"It isn't ready yet, go run." Crabdad flipped the bacon over. "No buts." He snapped just as I tried saying something. "It's better to eat after you run, especially with how difficult getting _your_ food is boy. Can you find the best route to the grocery store? Oh, the bacon might be cold if you don't hurry."

"I'm going, I'm going!" I huff as I head out, disguise up before I went out the door. It was late afternoon, sun going down in the suburbs and rather than being a casual jogger I was running down the road towards the grocery store. I was actually getting great time when some idiot jumped out in front of me last moment. I managed to stop and keep us both upright, barely catching myself before hitting him. As a result I had a hand open and back for attack, dropping it quickly.

This buck toothed moron actually smiled at my like it was totally acceptable I almost attacked him without hesitation. Mister shades, who I could only assume was this smiling imbecile's best buddy, came jogging up behind him. "Oh wow, you must be the new neighbor! I'm John, and this is Dave." He smiled with his giant rabbit teeth.

"Thank you John for the information I never asked for. I guess now I'm morally obliged to become your 'bestie' as they call it and spend every waking moment with you."

"That's a little much, don't you think? We could just hang out when you have time."

"I'm sorry, but was the entirety of what I said lost on you?"

"What's your name?"

"If you absolutely must know at risk of your mind collapsing in on itself it's Karkat. I've got to find the best route to the supermarket, so understand I'm going to leave you here to simmer in your own thoughts."

"Wait, we could show you a short cut."

"Well, unless you're willing to run the whole way I'm going to have to say no. I'm sort of doing some physical activity."

"No problem! It's never to early for track practice!" John grins goofily. "Let's see if how fast you can go." And with that his friend took off with him. I kept pace, surprised the two were actually doing well. As soon as I spotted the store I sped up, zipping past them and stopping to get a good judge of remaining distance. "You're fast. Hey, where are you going to school?"

"I'm homeschooled. Good thing too since I lack the ability to get up before noon." I look between the two. "Well, I would love to stay and chat about whatever teenagers talk about, but if I don't hurry home the time eats away at my record." I ran off with John saying something like seeing me later and Dave remained silent still. They tried keeping up, but they lost me the last three blocks home.

I came in to dodge a knife, sighing as I pried it out from the door. "You took a while. Did you find the fastest route?" He took a bite off scrambled eggs before looking over to me.

"No, I wandered aimlessly for several minutes and came back." I flopped into my chair before starting on breakfast. It had freaked me out for a while, the fact all his food was well cooked and half of what I ate was blood pieces of meat he warmed up under a heat lamp to body temperature so they wouldn't be cold. He didn't want to risk cooking any of the meat I ate due to his habit of burning everything he cooked, not having much room for retries. Honestly, the fact he didn't even care that he was giving me the flesh of his human victims freaked me out more than the fact he took care of me knowing it would be necessary to do so.

"Look, I'm leaving in three days for another job, so you know the drill." He looked up at me, frowning slightly before pushing the napkins on the table my way. "Exercise, practice, don't kill anyone unless they broke in which at that point make sure no one finds out that some tried breaking in. You can go out, but not between eight am and four pm due to the school year. Any boxes come in check them, don't just leave them on my desk. Any cops show up you get them out of here before they start investigating."

"Yes, I know."

"And fucking eat. I know you want to act human but you're not, so eat the meat." It wasn't a surprise he was lecturing me on this again. "I mean it Karkat, if you don't you'll start getting sick and weak. It's not a dietary option, just eat while I'm gone."

"I eat."

"You know what I mean. Human food you're fine with, but human flesh no, the thing you need is the thing I have to remind you to eat. You need to keep yourself healthy by eating right. What do I need to do to keep you from skipping? Trolls aren't meant to eat human food; it's basically cheap fillers for what you need to eat. I thought you were over this Karkat." I slowly looked up from the table to see his concerned expression. "I know you hate my yelling, but I can't have you getting sick on me. It's almost impossible to find someone who can help you medically. Remember how close it got?"

"I'm not stupid! I'm not doing that again." I growled at him. "Believe me, if I had known better I wouldn't have. What, are you going to call up Leijon to keep an eye on me?!"

"As long as you don't start getting sick I won't have to." He stood up from his spot at the table, the entire thing moving back as he did so. "Do you want me to get you a new movie to watch while I'm gone?"

"That would be great."

"I'm going grocery shopping. I'll be back in a few." He slipped out the door, soundless except for the lock clicking shut. I angrily went about unpacking the boxes, putting dishes into cabinets and setting up knick knacks on shelves amongst books and movies, and putting clothes into drawers and in the closet. I was getting quiet a lot done in the time he was gone, that was until I realized I wasn't sure what to do with all these boxes. Soon there was cardboard castle in the living room with holes I cut out for windows in it.

When Crabdad came back he snorted shortly after the door clicked closed. "I see you unpacked while I was gone. What 'cha doing over there?" Keys clicked against the table as he set things down.

"I'm king of this cardboard establishment." I called from my spot in the box fort. I dropped the remote, quickly picking it up again. "I did that on purpose."

"Does his royal highness want an orange creamsicle?"

"Yes!"

Crabdad put the groceries away except for the orange creamsicle he handed me through the cut out window before sitting down outside it. "Can I come in?" I nodded before pushing open part of it to let him in. We both sort of sat in silence watching tv for a while. Eventually he got up and left, the clang of metal from down the hall barely grabbing my attention. He didn't like me organizing his weapons anyway.

I decided to climb out from my box fort, slipping on shoes and a hoodie. "Crabdad, I'm heading out." I called before shutting the door behind me. I headed down the walkway and took a moment looking at the house. I haven't lived in a two story house in years, and I can say its a nice change from tiny apartments in the city. New home, new town, and a new city to investigate top to bottom.

The moon was starting to find its way into the sky. The neighborhood seemed fairly standard, houses lined up in blocks and lights on in many of them. I wandered, eventually stopping on a wall overlooking the near by forest. Watching from my spot on the wall I glared over when I heard someone yell hello. John and Dave were looking up at me. "What are you doing up there Karkat?"

"I'm looking around." I hop down in front of the two, not sure what to think about the two just yet and not sure why they weren't getting the idea I should be avoid. "Why, is it illegal to sit on the wall?"

"No, but most kids don't spend the night staring ominously into the distance from the top of a wall when they barely got here. That's some twilight zone type shit right there and I'm not living through another horror story." Dave frowned, shades still on in the dark.

"You kinda are part of the supernatural investigation club, so that won't work." John shifted his gaze back to me. "We were wondering, considering that you're a night type of guy and you don't have to worry about school, would you join us in our club?" He seemed so excited to ask.

I thought about it a moment, and I could honestly say that besides Nepeta, Sollux, and ten minutes all that time ago with Gamzee that I haven't really hung out with people my age. Occasionally I backed up my dad and saw people he once in a while worked with, but I haven't really gotten interaction with people. And honestly I was probably the most supernatural thing in town as far as I know, otherwise finding out about the town was good in itself. "Is this like a friend thing? Just stupidly wandering into dangerous places for shits and giggles?"

"It's focused on finding the supernatural, but if you're into danger that happens a lot too."

I decided it was a friend thing, but having human friends would be interesting. I actually was excited, but I don't know how to say that besides creepily. "Fine, I'll join your escapades through the night on dangerous adventures. Take it away John."

"Do you always respond like this or are you just being theatrical?"

"I don't get out much."

"That explains a lot actually. You want to hang out at the coffee shop? They've got great coffee." John actually looked excited.

"Fine, but what's coffee?"

They exchanged glances before dragging me along with them. When we got to the little coffee shop on the corner, flower boxes along the windows and a sign that looked relatively new, I was surprised that the first thing they did was have Dave order as John sat me down at one of the metal tables. It was a bit of a wait before Dave came back with three cups, one of the tall paper cups he pushed my way. The two watched almost anxiously as I took a sip.

I was surprised it wasn't complete garbage. "This is coffee?" I took another sip. "This isn't that bad, a bit warm though... Why are you two staring at me?" They both still looked a bit upset.

"How did you not burn your mouth?" John looked concerned.

"I'm lost here. Was this some sort of prank?"

"No, it's just-" John motioned to the cup like I should know.

"It's boiling hot, excruciating, it'll burn your tongue and you don't have a problem with just drinking it." Dave watched me take another sip, still confused where the burning heat was. "Did you used to drink boiling water or something?"

"No, it just doesn't seem that hot. Why are you guys wimps?"

They both just looked amazed. "Are you even normal?"

I froze, looking at the two. "I'm normal. What's with the not normal shenanigans?"

"Just checking dude." John held up his hands in defense. The both waited a bit longer before drinking their coffees. "So, I heard there's a carnival coming to town, which isn't very unusual but we always check them out. It's like a rule of horror stories to take place at carnivals!"

"How many things have you found at carnivals."

They both fell silent. "Nothing. We have found stuff around town though, just not at carnivals so far. But this is a new carnival, and if anything it's still cool to look around. Plus, this one is supposed to be real deal with the supernatural."

"What's the carnival?"

"I don't know the name, but it's supposed to be really creepy and strange happenings follow it wherever it goes! We have to investigate this one, and on top of that they have a freak show, which is actually really out of the ordinary in itself!"

"I'll come along, but I want to know what carnival. Are you guys sure you don't even know the name? Isn't that just a little bit strange that the name is unknown otherwise?"

The two exchanged glances. "We really don't know the name, only a few people do but when we ask about they say not to go. It's actually freaking us out a little that the only person who knows about it and approves it is the one who was able to let them set up just outside of town, otherwise we get told stay away."

"Neither of you take this as a hint?"

"It's a hint that it's dangerous, which is why we have been trying all week to get some else to join us. One more person could really help us out you know?"

"Please tell me you two aren't the type to head into bad situations completely unprepared and then someone has to save your asses."

"Hey, give us some credit!" John huffed. "We are way tougher then we look. Actually, we want to make sure you're up to it. Here." John wrote out instructions for me on a little memo pad, tearing the sheet out before handing it to me. "Meet us at that location tomorrow, but don't give out the address. It's our base of operations so we don't want people finding it. If you don't show up then we know you aren't really into joining, but if you do we will be happy to have you join!" He looked around. "Also, you should head home. Teen curfew is at nine."

"Curfew at nine? Why?"

"Strange happenings, a few kids were found dead in the woods last month. Seventeen range, most of them were white blond like Dave, but a few had darker hair where they had light roots from their hair growing out, and two brunets. They caught the guy, but the curfew is still up just in case." John got up, coffee in hand. "If you want we can walk with you home."

"My dad isn't to keen on giving out my address, but I'll walk with you guys home and head off to my house after."

"Wait, why not?"

"Let's just say my dad isn't the friendly type and move on."

"He's not mean to you is he?" John looked concerned.

"No, why would you be mean to you're kid?"

"Describe an average day with him." Dave immediately asks.

"If he isn't out on a business trip we usually watch movies together and he gets mad at me if I try to skipping eating, he brings me new movies almost every time he has to leave for work and every once in a while when he sees one he thinks I might like. He makes me practice self defense every day though, which is really aggravating, but it has saved my ass before."

"He sounds like Dave's bro." John smiled excitedly. "Except that he brings you moves instead of helping you with music equipment." I shot a glance at Dave with hope his dad wasn't also a hit man. "What kind of movies do you have?"

"Mainly rom coms, but I've got a few other choice pieces of cinema."

"You watch rom coms?" Dave questioned.

"Yes, is there a problem you have with my expert taste in movies?"

"No, just took you as more of an action hero loving type of guy with how you pulled of the wall jump and all the cardio you did earlier." Dave sipped his coffee.

I looked over the instructions the had written out, finding them easy enough to follow before shoving the paper in my pocket. A wave good bye and I was walking back home. They were up to something they knew they shouldn't be, and if it wasn't for the fact the dark carnival is currently too far to get here in a few days I would be suspicious of that as well. They probably are caught up in some rumored danger and a close call of a serial killer looking for people like them in the area.

I checked with Sollux on the location of the dark carnival again just to be sure. Mr. Makara was definitely still far away from my current location and seeing as he stood as ringleader to his murderous traveling carnival they stuck with him as well. Actually, Sollux commented on the slow decline in their numbers, and for a moment I had a glimpse of hope that they might finally be at an end. I could sleep easy knowing the might finally come to an end.


	3. Chapter 3

Of course I decided to leave the paper in my pants all crumpled up. It totally made sense to make it as messy and illegible as possible! I stared at the smudged pencil and crinkled paper as I looked around in the dimming sun, still intolerable but at least I can see now without burning my eyes out of their sockets in the sunlight. I swear these contacts are screwing with my vision right now. I actually stopped just to fix them before continuing down the route the messy instructions set.

By the time I finally found the stupid barn I threw open the door, staring around the place to find a well kept interior that didn't match the exterior. John and Dave turned to look at me in surprise as they stopped their conversation. The windows could actually be seen out of from here unlike the outside where I could have sworn they were boarded up. I quickly realized that they were window covers that brought about this image trickery and focused my attention entirely on the two that had written my horribly smudged instructions.

"Karkat! You actually came!" John seemed excited about this. "We thought you wouldn't."

"Of course I came asshat. You gave me instructions, I'm going to follow them. Not like I have anything better to do." I closed the doors behind me before walking up to them. "Let's get on with it already."

Dave actually stepped forward in front of John, poker face dropping to a frown. "Dave, what are you doing!" John huffed, trying to get around Dave. "Why are you acting weird?"

"He's wearing contacts." Dave stated. John stopped immediately, looking over to me. I was confused as to why that mattered and scared that it was so noticeable. "Take them off."

"But... I... How can you even see them?!" I took a step back from them both.

"I used to wear contacts a while, but they messed with my eyes too much. I'm guessing your eye color is freaky as shit." Dave pulled off his shades, eyes open a moment later to reveal vibrant red. "But we really just want to see. Some dangerous things out there have strange eye colors, so one of us had to learn to spot it."

I don't even know my own eye color. Crabdad always put in my contacts, and if he left me alone while he worked a job I would just stay home. I didn't exactly have things to do or places to be anyways, so why go through the hassle of finding a way to put on contacts? I took them off carefully, trying to make sure I didn't drop them. Even so the light wasn't harsh on my eyes in here after I took the contacts off, and it felt nice considering I slept with them on two nights in a row like an idiot. The two were a bit surprised, but Dave seemed satisfied. "You can put them back on if you want. Bathroom is in the back that way."

The moment I had been dreading. "Exactly how do you put in contacts, metaphorically?"

"Sorry, what?"

"I was joking."

"I don't think you were. Dude, how do you not know how to put in contacts?"

"Well fuck you for being mister know it all. I wasn't exactly allowed to put them in nor do I really have a clue how to see if I put them in right."

"You use your reflection."

"Like off of metal or something? Reflections are barely enough to make out your own general shape."

Dave and John exchanged worried glances. "Do you even know what you look like?" John questioned.

"Not really? I have seen myself in a picture once."

"Alright, so Strider Contact School is in session." Dave lead me to the bathroom, which was basically a renovated horse stall. "So first step is look in the mirror." I looked, and honestly I have to saw I look strange. I expected the black because I dye my hair that color, but the freckles across my face caught me by surprise. The last image of me I had seen was from when I was eight, but all that time I had done cardio in the late afternoon sun left freckles speckled across my cheeks and the bridge of my nose ever so lightly in color despite my skin remaining pale. My eyes were red like my blood, vibrant bright candy monstrosities staring back at me. I didn't have any scruff of even the possibility of a beard or mustache and a roundish baby-like face, but I heard those were common features for a troll. I almost wanted to take off my pendant to see myself as I really was for the first time, but I still had Dave and John to worry about.

"Does he have his conta... What's he doing?" I looked over to John. "Are you okay over there?"

"I really look like..." I looked back at the curious looking expression staring back at me. "... like that? What the hell is this?"

"Karkat, that's a mirror. They're really commonplace, basically in every home, in store changing rooms, part of the car is a rear view mirror, any of this ringing bells?" Dave was looking extremely concerned, like not knowing this was a bad thing. "The houses in our neighborhood have mirrors in the bathroom."

"My dad must have took them before he brought we moved in completely, because I'm pretty sure I would have fucking noticed. Also, what the hell is a rear view mirror? Where are they in a car exactly?"

"Front center so you can see out the back windshield." John said slowly. "Why would your dad hide that? Does he hide anything else? Does he dye your hair too?"

"Yeah, why?" Dave walked up to me and started messing with my hair. "Hey, what are you doing fuckwit?!"

"Just checking your roots." He eventually seemed to find what he was looking for. "You're a ginger? Damn, your dye job is really good."

"Wait ginger? Fuck, I thought I had a cooler hair color!"

"Why do you hide that? Is your dad a ginger too?" John piped in.

"My birth dad was, but my new dad isn't."

"So your current dad isn't your birth dad?"

"No, his hair actually is black."

"What happened to your birth dad? And why do you dye your hair?"

"He died along with my mom when I was five. I was dyeing my hair back then though, and when Crabdad found me a few days later he kept up with dyeing my hair and dealing with my contacts and basically raised me as his own kid. He asked me once or twice if I wanted to stop but I wasn't sure why I had started in the first place, so I still dye my hair. It's no big deal though, I just sort of wish I knew why."

"That's actually really sad. You didn't even know what you looked like until today!" Dave looked really sad, actually turning away a moment. "Look, just like this alright." He slowly guided me through putting on contacts, keeping a close eye on me as I tried at a quicker pace with the second contact. "There you go." The contacts made my eyes hazel brown, which was actually pretty cool.

"You okay there Karkat?"

"Yeah. What else did you guys want me to do?"

"We need to make sure you can hold your own if we accept you into the club. No offense, but we run into bad situations that would make a cop squeal in fear like a baby, so we need to know you aren't going to end up getting yourself killed." Dave stated. "Are you trained in any weapons?"

"I can work a hand gun just barely and I train with sickles."

"Well then." Dave started digging through one of the stalls, pulling out a rusted pair of sickles. "I found these, sorry about the rusty but we only kept them because they looked cool." I almost wanted to get my own, but I didn't need to attract bad attention. I took the sickles, Dave and John setting up some hay bales with targets tied to them. I didn't get how this meant anything practice wise, but quickly I hit the targets and stared back at them in annoyance. There was a target above where they were standing and I threw the sickle at it, hitting it with a thud.

"I don't get how this is training." I glared at them. "Am I fucking done yet?"

"I guess we can let you join." Dave stated, although John seemed a bit surprised. "If you had missed that would have been rough."

"I don't miss, I hit the god damn targets when I aim!" I glared at him. "What about you two? Can you wield anything or are you guys messing with me?"

Dave sighed before pointing towards John. "Hammer." He motioned back to himself. "Sword. We both know a bit about martial arts and a few tricks up our sleeves for messy situations. No worries, we can handle ourselves, but the concern is if it's safe taking you along with us. The rumor is the up and coming event is related to the Dark Carnival. You know who that is?"

"I know who those fuckers are and they are to far away to get here in time to set up and run within even a week from now."

"Are you sure?"

"Trust me, I have my sources, annoying as they are. They just set up someplace else, so they aren't moving for the next week."

"You never know what might happen. It's better to be cautious about these things then charge right in." Dave flicked his gaze over to John.

"Hey, so it's not the Dark Carnival," John went into serious mode in an instant", but we didn't say it was. This thing is related to them somehow though, disguised as something not so sinister but leaving a trail of kidnapping reports in its wake. It has a ringleader duo thing going on as well, so they could easily balance what they plan on doing. There has been harm done, three found dead, all in a year of its operating."

"That is comforting to know." I sigh. "Look, I don't know about you guys, but I need to know the game plan already. Are we sneaking around or heading in the entrance way? Where are we starting, what might be important. Skip the scaring and go straight to the point already!"

The both seemed surprised at first, but then they seemed glad I was being commanding. "Well let's start of with the first day, which will be spent just looking around at like regular visitors. If we somehow don't cover it in a day we start up again the next day. Day two, we start checking around where we shouldn't be, be ready to fight if the don't take kindly to trespassers. Day three is continuation of day two if anything. Something pops up we regroup and plan accordingly. No sneaking weapons day one in case someone gets suspicious. Any questions?"

"How much is entry supposed to cost?"


	4. Chapter 4

The entry fee was a few bucks, and a step inside the little area they had claimed already put me on edge. There was no name to this place nor could a name be found on their old school looking posters or anywhere in this old looking place. The place had the look of fading paint with wood and rickety metal making up the makeshift carnival. There were a few rigged games that took a morbid apperance, definitely rigged but people played anyways. A few freaks who worked here wandered about in their dull attire that fit right in with the place's look, dull eyes in the smiling faces as they managed the grounds. John, Dave, and I weren't interested in the little bits that came together out here, we all looked over towards the big top looking tent.

The tent was faded reddish-brown, long worn and faded by pounding sunlight, yet the thick canvas kept out prying eyes. This wouldn't be a concern if it weren't for the fact this group only started up a short while ago, making the ancient appearance a bit suspicious. The crew seemed to be lost in the twenties, back when the equipment and tent were probably still a new bright red and the details not faded. We approached slowly towards the structure, noticing that security had watch so no one could try sneaking past the tent.

At the flap leading inside stood a figure in black and neon green, smiling cheerfully at us. She had cat ears perched atop her head that occasionally twitched with a matching tail swinging back and forth behind her, both dyed a bright blue. "Hello!" She smiled, no sense of volume clearly in place for her. "Would you all like to see the freak show?"

"They still have freak shows?" John asked, seeming a bit unnerved by this.

The girl nodded. "Yup! In fact, if you want to see it starts soon. You can wait by looking at all the different oddities." She pulled the flap to the side, inviting us in. Another flap was inside, like this space was a waiting area and past that was where the show was, shelves of strange things in jars along the edges of the small space. "Come in!" She smiled a fanged smile.

She reminded me of Nepeta, and I could have sworn Nepeta said her sister ran away with some dangerous mystery man. Of course, when dealing with hybrid trolls everything was dangerous, and for a moment I wondered if her top hat was more for look or hiding horns. She eyed the three of us eagerly with slitted olive cat eyes before we slowly entered. "Oh, mister with the shades, it's really dark inside so it would be better viewing if you took your shades off."

The three of us entered, flap fluttering closed behind us and leaving us in the dim waiting area. The shelves had the strangest things in them, some live specimen, but mostly they were very dead. The two tailed cat hissing at us through the jar and the scorpions under the black lights of the area were to the right and the piebald cardinal was to the left. Amongst them were deformed dead animals, random inanimate objects, and a rack of vials labeled blood, the vials sickeningly being many different colors. I hope they got the poor fools' consent to get those.

"Hey, you kids." A fellow by one of the flaps called. His slicked back hair brought the word tool to mind instantly. "You wanna see the show, am I right?" We all exchanged looks before hesitantly nodding to the guy. "Right this way." He held open the flap. We entered slowly, spotting a kid completely submerged in the water, hair floating out around him. The tank was set up near another flap, which I'm guessing we have to wait for.

The kid in the water tank grabbed our attention though. The tank looked like an oversized bottle, cork jammed in the top like they had to seal him in. Fine sand was at the bottom with what seemed to be seaweed growing out of it, one of the boy's finned feet slightly hidden by it. He was curled up in near fetal position with his arms to his chest and legs slightly extended, in nothing but a pair of swim trunks floating in the middle of it. He was stock still, gills on his sides exposed and finned wrists as well, ear fins ever so slightly poking out from his hair. If it wasn't for the slow rise and fall of his chest you wouldn't think he was alive at all, a peaceful expression on his face.

"Amazing, eh chief?" The man asked with an upturned lip. "No worries, he's alive, he's just never awake when he's on show."

"Why?"

"He wants to take part, but he isn't so big on the lack of clothes, so he lets us put him out for the show if he's asleep. We tell him the good things people have said later, but he just gets too anxious every time he tries staying awake during this." He shook his head. "Quite a shame actually. He's embarrassed by his mutation. Can't blame him though, I felt the same about my self a while." He flashed a shark toothed smile, gaining some amazed gasps from the people near the flap we came in through, before his gaze went to a voodoo doll dangling in the corner. "The show's starting soon, go get yourselves some seats." He held up the flap for us and the few others who had come over here.

Past the flap was some rows of bleachers in a circle. The black metal framework that held up the tent was exposed, the inside material of the tent a familiar shade of purple. Something felt off and for a moment I almost turned around to leave only for Dave and John to give me a concerned look. "You alright there? If you're too scared you can wait outside." John offered, almost seeming like he was taunting me.

"I'm not scared. Something just didn't feel right about this place." I grumbled, quickly following them as we headed to one of the further back rows. The crowd was scattered through the seats, excited and anxious murmurs of anticipation going around until the lights flickered out. The dim lights slowly came back on, two uncomfortably familiar faces staring at the crowd from the center, the ringleaders both dressed in black and purple with the white face paint.

"Welcome." Gamzee's aged voice called out. I recognized him immediately, like it hadn't been over twelve years since we had seen each other but maybe a month at most. They both had the out of control hair and the captivating purple eyes, their tall thin forms back to back. I was horrified, and if it weren't for the amount of people here I would probably go down there and find a way to get them to tell me what happened to Kankri. I shoved my balled up fists into my pockets, hoping they didn't notice me.

They trotted out some kid with crazy strength, another with butterfly wings, some one with who could talk to animals, but as they started getting rough with the people they brought out I started slipping from anger to disgust. One girl was dragged out on a chain by shackles, an actual heavy duty metal chain attached by locked cuffs, as the lights flicked off and the girl's skin glowed. She lunged at them a few times, fangs bared as she tried getting them, only getting gasps and a surprised shriek from the crowd before they roughly dragged her back out again.

I was shaking by the time they finally started drawing to a close, by the time they said they were on the last one. "We save the best for last ladies and gentlemen." Gamzee smirked. "A mutant amongst freaks, an outcast amongst the unbelievable, we have a treat for you all in the audience. He's fierce, a blood thirst carnivore, feared and dangerous..." The cloaked figure they dragged out was panting as they fought back, strong enough to require both the Makara brothers to work together to chain the figure in place. The unkept claws of a troll showed from under the cloak, sharp and long, and the Makara brothers both grabbed the edge of the fabric's hood eagerly.

"... living off of human flesh." Kurloz uttered in a low voice, soft yet reaching everyone's ears and crawling up their spines. "There is no name we have for the mutant." They both pulled back the hood to reveal Kankri. He looked so beaten down, something daring to snap at the brothers that held him captive now with his glowing candy red eyes. His disguise wasn't up, skin slightly grey and horns clearly visible in his head of ginger hair with black ends, his fists clenched as he still fought against his restraints. The pendant he wore was definitely gone, and gashes on his cheeks dripped his candy red blood down his face.

He gritted his fangs against what was probably a lot of pain, held where he was by thick chain. I froze,terrified by what they had done to my brother. How many were here with consent was slowly becoming painfully obvious, and not in a good way. I felt like I was going to be sick, but I sat completely numb the remainder of their chatter. I don't even remember when it ended and they dragged him off because I blacked out. The next thing I remember is John and Dave shaking me in hopes of snapping me out of it.

"Karkat! Karkat, are you awake?!" John was shaking me.

"Did you say his name was Karkat?" Gamzee was leaning over me with concern on his face. I just barely started getting a grip on myself, realizing I had passed out in the bleachers and now had Gamzee leaning over me close enough he might recognize me.

I sat up and moved back from him, not exactly happy with the psycho. "It's a nickname, you know, joke about cars and cats involving me for some stupid reason. Because I'm named Carol, which basically means my parents are idiots because that's a kind of singing. And starts with Car." I stopped talking to cease the flood of nonsense from my mouth.

Gamzee gave a slight smile. "I guess it's good that you're awake. Quite a shame Carbro, I thought you might have been a friend of mine. You just looked so familiar I could have sworn we met before somewhere."

"Nope, I have never seen you before."

"Here, as an apology on my part for your mind all up and making you faint, how about I show you around? I could show you around where most people can't go."

"I have to start heading home unfortunately."

"No worries my brother." Gamzee pulled tickets out of his pocket, black unlike the purple ones at the gate," You and your friends can just come back tomorrow when it ain't a school night. I could show you around then."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah bro, completely sure. I'll see you tomorrow." He helped me up, and with that tucked the tickets in my pocket. I had no clue what to say to him, but he smiled at my confusion. John and Dave took sides, making sure I didn't fall as we got down the steps, off of the bleachers and left the tent, heading off the fair grounds and back home.

"What the hell was that?" John asked after we were far enough away from the carnival. "You just fainted in the middle of a carnival."

"The ringleaders are the Makara brothers." The two froze. "They must have branched off from the dark circus to start their own carnival, start getting ready to take their dad's place probably. At least half the freak show wasn't there by choice, but that's sort of expected with Makaras." I looked at them, and honestly I wasn't surprised to see the scared expressions. "You guys changing your minds?"

"Are you sure those are the Makara brothers? Mr. Makara doesn't exactly seem the parent type or even the type to take time from his psychotic freaky carnival to raise kids."

"Their Kurloz and Gamzee Makara. Gamzee is seventeen, Kurloz is twenty-five. They've done odd jobs from running a hole in the wall shop to where they are now, gathering up freaks and weirdos all the way. The probably got all those people on their own, which would have been difficult had Mr. Makara not trained them as well as he did." I turned to them only to see the color had drained from their faces. "You guys are having second thoughts?"

"We definitely are having a meeting tomorrow."


	5. Chapter 5

A knock on the door woke me up, and if it weren't for the fact that Dad just left on his trip I wouldn't have gotten up to answer it. I shuffled half asleep down the stairs, still wrapped in a blanket and wondering who in their right mind was knocking at the door. It's still dangerously bright outside from what I can tell through the crack between the curtains, and I almost forgot humans do stuff during the day. With a grumble I unlocked the door and opened it, shielding my eyes from the light a moment as my eyes adjusted.

It was John and Dave standing at my door with a cake in John's arms and a bag in Dave's. "The hell are you idiots doing this early in the day. People are trying to sleep you know!"

John started laughing. "Dude, it's like two in the afternoon. Most people are up by eleven!"

"Yeah, well I don't get up till six. Now why am I awake and how did you idiots find my house?" I glare at the two of them, or at least attempt with the sun in my eyes.

"It's hard to miss someone moving in. We came to talk about what our next move is. We brought snacks."

"What kind of snacks?" I probably shouldn't let them in, but snacks grabbed my interest.

"Doritos, cake, soda, and a pound of skittles."

"Fine, you can come in. Just don't show up early ever again. Who even does that?"

"Friends." They both reply.

"Really? Just set it on wherever." I let them in begrudgingly, only to realize I just let them in my house. Where they can see how I live. And they're part of a paranormal investigation club. And I have hearts and such from humans in my fridge. Probably not exactly something they would be very happy about, and the thought of having to move again snapped me awake better than anything I've ever done to wake up before. They already were in the kitchen and I sprint over and knocked over Dave right as he reached for the fridge door.

"What the hell man? Can't a man put drinks in the fridge?" Dave eyed me.

"No you cannot. You can get ice but the fridge has my dad's work projects in it and they're really gross." John and Dave exchanged glances.

"We can just get ice then, calm down." Dave pulled the soda out of the bag. I pulled out cups for us, setting them on the table before taking a seat with a blanket still wrapped around me. "So, can I ask what's in the fridge?"

"I don't want to talk about it." I glared at him until he sat down.

"Oh, for putting in contacts I got you this." Dave pulled out a compact make up mirror, handing it to me. "In case you want to put them in yourself."

I just remembered I hadn't put in my contacts, and I was glad I always slept with my pendant on. I look at the two. "Look, I couldn't care less about contacts right now. We need to figure out what to do with the Makara brothers situation. They have many people there, several against their will, so it's not exactly a bright idea to head back and investigate these two without weapons or a plan."

"We could out maneuver them-"

I slammed my hands on the table, interrupting Dave mid sentence. "They're trained killers you idiot! They will kill you both if they see fit, if they decide they want to even! It's not exactly safe, so weapons are not negotiable in any way." I balled up my hands to fists. "They don't show mercy, not if you're a baby, five, teen, twenty, or even a hundred years old. They do their job, they do it well, and unless you are someone they consider valuable they will kill you if you get caught digging around. For the sake of whatever stupid deity you worship, do not go back unarmed!"

John looked shaken, but with Dave it was always hard to tell if anything got through to him. John sighed, grip tightening on his glass. "We won't Karkat. You sure seem to know a lot about them for a normal kid though." I slipped slowly back into my seat. "I think we should carry something to defend ourselves though, but trying to not look suspicious is going to be difficult. The brother that invited us back will show us around much easier than we could get around ourselves, so we should consider the offer."

"Yeah, but he seemed to think Karkat was someone he knew, which was why he did it in the first place. Also, why did you tell him your name was Carol? I'm pretty sure you can't sing."

"If he knows my name is Karkat there will be... I don't know how to explain it besides insanely fucking difficult to get out again. I panicked and picked Carol, alright?" I noticed their suspicious glances. "Yeah I know, I'm really fucking suspicious, but trust me, not a good idea telling them my real name."

"Whatever you say." Dave looked back to the table. "Do you think you can hide sickles on you?"

"Yes. I can hide them fairly well." Even if I got disarmed I had a trick up my sleeves, literally. Dave and John on the other hand I wasn't sure of being able to handle being weaponless. "I can handle myself."

"Where are the tickets at?"

"Hold on." I went to go grab them, coming back to see Dave reaching for the fridge door as John was hissing at him not to. "I've got the tickets." I shouted from the doorway, scaring both of them. "What are you guys so obsessed with the fridge for?" I slammed down the tickets in the middle of the table, pendant slipping out from my mass of blankets as I leaned over the table to do so. I quickly tucked it away as just as they found their seats again.

"What's that?"

"Well Dave, it's a keepsake from my brother. Due to the nature of what happened to my entire fucking family I don't want to talk about it. Of course you seem to love digging your nose in and figuring this shit out anyway." I glared at him, knowing full well he understood what I was saying.

"Sorry, it's just a bit disturbing that you're freaking out over a fridge."

"You know what? My dad is an investigator. He goes over all the clues, including their other victims and how they were killed. Sometimes he brings his work home and it's fucking disgusting to look at it."

"Are you saying he has body pieces in the fridge?"

"Yes. It's from his job and I was embarrassed by it because that's not exactly a normal thing to have in a fridge and I was worried you guys would freak out." I opened the fridge, time labels and the letter code system my dad labeled them with on the clear containers. John and Dave were really surprised, but John actually looked excited. "Are you happy now Strider?"

"Your dad's job seems really cool. Is he out working now?"

"Yeah, he's working a job right now, so he won't be back for a few days. Which is good because otherwise I would be getting an earful everyday to exercise."

"Same here." Dave stated. "But Bro is at some freaky puppet convention."

"Woah, really? My dad doesn't leave for trips, except twice, but he isn't going to be gone anytime soon. Plus he just has my sister keep an eye on me if he's gone."

"Dirk is supposed to keep an eye on me, but that's all the more reason to stay out of the house. I do not want to wake up to find oil everywhere or a fucking camera hidden in my room, or even just him messing with me in my sleep. It's kinda weird, but we get along when I'm awake."

"Why does he do that?"

"My brother is an ass sometimes, but he also has bailed us out twice and gets information for us, so he's still allowed in the club. Can't take him anywhere though."

I was slightly suspicious of Dave, but I let it go. "Hey Karkat, if you want you can stay at one of our houses for a sleep over. Dave's house is actually fairly close to the carnival incase you don't want to walk all the way home again, and my house is at the edge of the neighborhood, which isn't much farther a walk to your house, but just saying."

"I can stay over? Maybe I guess. It's a good idea to consider." I frowned at the clock. "We should start getting things ready, weapons stashed on us, take your tickets with you." I yawned, spinning around as I felt it start so they wouldn't see my teeth. "I think we've got the details set. We go in, ready in case they want to attack us, and take Gamzee's offer to look around. We can see what most won't be able to. Now can I please go back to sleep?"

I turned back around to see Dave and John exchanging glances. "Yeah, hold on. You can keep the snacks Karkat." They both got up, each grabbing a ticket before heading for the door. "We meet up at eight in front of the cafe, alright?"

"Yeah, I got it." And as soon as they were out I had the door locked again. I scarfed down a snack, a look in my fridge only making me queasy. I didn't want to eat any of this, but if I didn't I would get weaker significantly starting tomorrow morning. Three days was my limit basically with not eating flesh of this kind, but I hate it. Not because the taste or anything, just the weird uncomfortable and guilty feeling from knowing what I'm eating to stay alive. It was to early to start breakfast anyway, so I decided to not. Besides, why not eat after the carnival? It would keep Makara from suspecting anything.

I flopped down in bed, alarm clock set for seven thirty in case I over slept, and I flopped down ready to go back to sleep. I swear if something goes wrong I'll pull my own ears off.


	6. Chapter 6

I barely made it to the cafe by eight, spotting John and Dave already waiting for me. They both spotted me quickly, Dave shaking his head and John checking his watch. "Yeah I know I'm late! My alarm clock woke me up at seven-thirty." My hoodie wasn't even zipped up and I grabbed one of my dad's gigantic flannels in my panic, the thing not buttoned all the way to hide my pendant. They waited a moment as I buttoned the last few buttons and finished zipping my hoodie. "Are we headed there now?"

"Yeah. Come on sleeping beauty." Dave lead the way. The long walk probably would have been great silent, but John went into chatterbox mode.

"Karkat, your charm looks amazing! What is it?"

"It's a keepsake from my brother."

"Can I see it?"

"If one of the people at the carnival sees it I'm in deep shit."

"Come on, we aren't close."

"I'm not taking it off for you to look at it. If I lost it I would have nothing left from my family, so I'm not taking it off no matter what."

"You never take it off?"

"I have worn this thing for twelve years straight and haven't taken it off once in that time. I'm not taking it off even if the entire planet would get incinerated unless I did."

"Alright grouchy, but can I see it while you wear it then?" He probably wouldn't be able to realize what it was so I grouchily nodded. I almost fell over when he pulled up the pendant to look at it, excitedly looking at it as I had to grab his shoulders to keep from falling to the ground. "It's amazing Karkat! Where did you get this?"

"Brother gave it to me when I turned five."

"What? You take great care of this considering how much you where it. It doesn't look too worn out like it should."

"John."

"Yes?"

"Can you let go of my fucking pendant?" He let go and I stopped leaning on him. I immediately tucked it back in my shirt with a scowl at John so he understood his horrible idea. We had silence for five minutes before we were at the entrance. As soon as the gate guy saw the black tickets he eyed us a moment before holding up the cards a bit. I quickly spotted the voodoo dolls in the corner and knew what he was up to. As soon as we were out of hearing range I leaned forward between John and Dave. "This is probably going to get ugly."

A moment later Gamzee popped up in front of us, from where I'm not completely sure. "Welcome back. I thought you all up and had forgotten about coming back." He gave a grin, slipping behind us quickly before ushering us forward. "Well, let's get you all started. How about I show you around?" We were past the security at the edges of the tent, the security immediately closing up behind us again. We were in a tent that they probably used for storage when Gamzee's hand snuck its way down my shoulder and I quickly swatted it away before he did something strange. "Why do you have to be like that Karbro? Don't you reconize me?"

I froze immediately, John and Dave looking confused. "I-I don't know what you are talking about. I told you my name is Carol."

"Karbro, you look like your brother but with contacts and hair dye." He was hugging me and I shot a panicked to John and Dave. "I missed you Karbro, my brother said if we found you again you could join us-"

"No, Gamzee I don't want to join."

"But, what happened to being besties? I thought you said we were best friends forever?"

"We- Gamzee-" he gave me a sad face," Gamzee that was years ago before you did that trick, remember how scared I was? And your brother sort of threatened me with chaining me up and putting me on display."

"He can't take you away from me ever again." His hug was tight like I was going to be ripped out of his arms at any second. I couldn't even wiggle free and I was beginning to panic.

"Gamzee, please let go of me." I couldn't get him off of me. "Gamzee, it's okay, just let go off me. You're sort of squeezing me."

"Listen to him." Kurloz's voice sounded. "You do understand that he has tricks up his sleeves that can hurt you?" Kurloz approached. Gamzee was squeezing me to the point I was starting to have trouble breathing. John and Dave were looking nervous taking some steps back. Kurloz reached out like he was going to touch my head only for Gamzee to shift his hug so I was barely poking out my head at his shoulder opposite his brother. "Stop being difficult."

"You can't hurt him!" Gamzee growled. "He's my best bro in the world." John and Dave looked horrified and I had no idea what to do. Gamzee dropped to the ground, probably to avoid Kurloz, but I'm not okay with how he is holding me at all like I'm a little kid. While I feel sorry that Gamzee is this upset, I'm disturbed by the thought that him and his brother will end up imprisoning me unless I escape.

"He's dangerous and a killer."

"So are we! You can't take him."

"You know what it takes for him to be alive now." Gamzee froze, and I hoped and pleaded he didn't hand me over to his brother. He slowly stopped hugging me so tightly, letting up a bit to look me in the face. "They are meant to look innocent." Kurloz was standing over me. I need to get out of here, and Dave and John need to get out of here. I rolled out of Gamzee's grip before quickly swinging into a kick to Kurloz. John and Dave were booking it and I was not far behind them as we ran.

"What the hell was that?!" John questioned.

"Remember when I said them reconizing me would be bad?"

"Yeah."

"That's why."

Running back through the carnival would grab attention, so we took off through the trees. One guy was there, but Dave hit him with an uppercut before landing a crescent kick to his chest before John kicked the guy behind the knees. While he was on the ground we sprinted through the trees, and to my surprise they kept up with me, which is supposed to be a difficult feat for humans but we are all scared so I'm chalking it up as adrenaline right now.

By the time we started to slow down we were wandering the edge of town at the tree line. I turned to them, none of us too out of breath. Dave frowned. "You couldn't have mentioned you work with them?"

"I don't. Look, I haven't seen them since I was five, alright? I saw them once because my brother was friends with Kurloz and he thought maybe me and Gamzee would get along, but then Kurloz decided that it was better to have me as one of the freaks. I've never worked with them, ever."

"Your brother did."

"Yeah, and when he stood up for me and decided to fight back they beat the shit out of him, chained him up and put him on display!"

John and Dave had the color drain from their faces. "Karkat, the only red eyed ginger there was the guy they had to work together to drag into the arena. You know the... the cannibal guy." I could have sworn they were scared.

"He's not a cannibal." I snapped.

"They never said cannibal John." Dave replied coldly. Their attention shifted to me again. "And you never said what happens with the parts after your dad finishes investigating." John, and I'm not sure how this is physically possible, went pale as a bed sheet. Dave already had a hand in his pocket and the other out a bit in front of John. Neither of them trusted me now.

"Guys, we don't have time for this. You guys head to wherever you are headed, but I'm headed home."

"Oh god you eat it!" John immediately had a hammer in his hands.

"It's not because I want to!" I growled, only to realize my mistake. They both stared at me, and I remember my teeth still had a bit undisguised.

"Karkat?" John asked.

"I don't. I mean it." They still didn't drop their guard. "I'm headed home. Don't come after me."

"Karkat!" I looked back over my shoulder at them. "Who have you eaten?"

I was confused, but then again the are a paranormal club. "Criminals. Killers, people making dealings with the wrong people, dealers. Anyone my dad has to deal with. He brings back parts for me from his job. If they are innocent they won't end up in my fridge." I felt disgusting talking about it. "Why? Worried I might go after you?"

"A little."

"I'm not going to fucking eat you. I hate that I have to."

"Don't you just need blood?"

"I'm not a vampire fuckwit. It would be way harder that way, believe me." I took another step forward to hear some steps behind me. It turn in time to see Dave right behind me and feel something in my neck. I collapsed, checking my neck only to find that he wasn't holding a knife in his hand, but a syringe. "What did you do?" I tried getting up, but my legs gave up half way through. "What the fuck did you do to me Dave? What was in that syringe?!"

Dave stared down at me blankly behind his shades. "Don't worry, it won't kill you."

"What the hell is this?"

"Tranquilizer."

"Don't sound so calm about it! It's not like I fucking trusted you and John or anything for this to come and bite me in the ass."

"I stabbed your neck."

"You are a pain in the neck!"

"No, you love me."

"You're going to kill me aren't you?"

"Nope. You might not like it when you wake up, but we aren't going to kill you. Dirk might try though, but he overreacts a lot."

"I'm not g-" I almost passed out, catching myself when I hit the ground. "You can't do th-" I almost slipped into unconsciousness, but I was fighting it as hard as I could. My focus went to staying awake, movement not being much of a option right now. I managed to get when of my eyes open enough to get a blurry image trees branches and John and Dave's chins as they said something to each other. I couldn't stay awake for more than a few seconds before I was completely out.


	7. Chapter 7

When I woke up, I wasn't sure what was going on or what the bright light in my face was. I felt rope at my wrists, but I barely had any strength to start with, much less do anything. I hadn't eaten... what I'm supposed to in at least three days, whether it was over three days really depended on how long I've been unconscious. The lights were way too bright, the room silent except for the hum of a fan pointed at my face and crinkle of bed sheets when I moved, and the room was overpowered by the smell of laundry detergent.

I can't see with this light in my eyes, and as much as I try moving it almost seems like the placing of the lights was deliberately so I couldn't see. A hand was placed on my neck and I froze. With the hunger slowly rearing it's ugly head I should have been able to smell someone, but then it clicked why everything seemed to be drenched in detergent. Whoever this was knew how to deal with trolls, and that wasn't comforting in the least. I could feel who ever it was's hand shift to feel at the veins in my neck, freezing up at the warm touch.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you." The voice had a touch of a Texan accent like Dave's voice had, but it was a bit deeper. "Can't believe Dave was hanging around a troll."

"What makes you think that?"

I heard him dig through his pocket, the lights clicking off soon after. It took me a moment to adjust, but right in front of my face was my pendant. "I took this off of you." The one holding it looked like Dave with tanner skin, pointed shades, and spiked hair. The room had metal paneling on the walls and had a desk in the corner littered with metal tools and papers. As far as I could see there wasn't a window and the two doors opposite of me were locked and covered in metal.

"Why is everything covered in metal?"

"It keeps me from destroying the place. The rest of the house doesn't look like this except a shed out back." Dirk put the pendant on his desk, hand still at my throat. "I'm a bit surprised you haven't tried harder to get free."

"What do you mean I haven't been trying?! I was tugging at my wrists!"

"Not enough to snap the rope and figure out about the cuffs, which any healthy troll easily could have done."

"I haven't eaten in a while alright?! Give me a goddamn break!"

"What do you mean you haven't eaten in a while? Dave brought snacks to your house the other day."

"I meant... you know, eat eat, not eat snacks."

"You have some guy's heart in a jar at your house but haven't eaten humans in a while?"

"My dad makes me because I get weak if I don't, but I hate it."

"Does it taste disgusting?"

"No, it takes amazing, but I don't want to eat it? I just don't, so don't even ask me for a reason here."

"Why?"

"Way to go brainiac, you already screwed that up! Should I explain in baby steps next time?"

"I just wanted to mess with you. Aren't you the least bit worried you might hurt your dad? Doesn't the troll hunting instinct and hunger kick in when you skip enough meals?"

"It kicks in after three days, but I can control it. I've gone a week and a half before, but I get really weak by that point. It almost killed me, so I can't be doing that."

"I'll send Dave to get one of the jars out of your fridge. How do you eat them by the way?" The fact he was laid back by this made me wonder if he was sane. He texted someone before looking back over to me. "Well Karkat? Or do you eat them straight out of the fridge."

"No, that's disgusting on several levels. I eat them heated up to body temperature."

"You don't add anything or cook it all the way, just eat it raw? Do you even use utensils?"

"I use utensils sometimes!"

He raised an eyebrow. "Sometimes?"

"When I was little I didn't use utensils, and if we haven't unpacked utensils after a move yet I couldn't use them."

"Well, I don't trust you with utensils either so you have to eat it raw with your bare hands. Nothing personal, I just don't trust hungry trolls."

"No one does... whoever the fuck."

"My names Dirk, Dirk Strider. Usually an introduction is followed by a handshake but I'm not letting you up until food's here for you."

"Are all humans this concerned?"

"Considering you eat humans, I would hope so. Of course as you have probably guessed my brother and I aren't exactly your run of the mill humans, him especially."

"What do you mean?"

"He's good at hiding it, but we've got some mutations and mix ins to our genetics. It's amazing really the number his DNA pulled on him, although Bro gets mad at me for investigating into the matter further. Either way, I've come up with some helpful things and learned some valuable information that way." I immediately was very concerned about if anything happened while I was asleep. "Something wrong?"

"Can I get a brief explanation of what happened while I was unconscious?"

"Dave knocked you out, him and John carried you here, I investigated a bit, took off the charm, checked you over for abnormalities, then made sure you were secured in place before sitting here and watching you for about forty-two minutes as I waited for the tranquilizer to wear off and you to regain consciousness."

I stared at him so he could understand what he just said, but it didn't seem to register. "You stared at me for forty-two minutes and 'investigated' me? Are you serious or bullshitting me?"

"You are wearing a pair of black briefs and had green, white, and pink sickles hidden on you. Candy red blood, five foot three, eighty-six pounds, scar across your stomach, and a birthmark that looks like a splatter about the size of a quarter on-"

"You're a fucking pervert!" I interrupted, tugging on the wrist restraints. I was disappointed to find that I could not break the rope.

"Needed to make sure you weren't a hybrid. If you were a hybrid troll I would have had to use something with a stronger smell to keep myself from immediately being spotted."

"You could have just check my ears or my back or my toes."

"Sorry, I have meet a hybrid troll who only had a tiny hamster tail as a indicator. Got to be thorough if I want to be safe. Trolls have a neat trick with their horns though."

"Did you touch my horns?"

"I pledge the fifth." He started messing with the papers on his desk. I looked down at myself, not sure if I should be relieved he thought to tuck in the sheet or upset that I'm not sure what I have on under this sheet. I look around until I spot clothes on the very edge of his desk folded up neatly. They might be his but they strangely looked like mine.

"Do you leave your clothes out?"

"Hell no. Dirty clothes are being washed, clean clothes in the closet. You learn to never leave out flammable things like clothes with dangerous hobbies." I stared at the ceiling in dread at this discovery. "I left your briefs on if it makes you feel any better." There was a muffled pounding on his door. He got up, unlocking the door quickly and letting in Dave, John peering around the corner into the room. I looked between them, Dirk sauntering over before whipping out a knife and cutting the rope. "I am letting you up, but the ankle ones stay on until I consider you safe." He unlocked the handcuffs at my wrists.

I didn't move, so he pushed me into an upright sitting position. Dave held out the jar with a heart in it, the container warm to the touch. I felt horrible eating it in front of a bunch of humans, but they were the ones who were making me in the first place. I couldn't really turn away from them due to the cuffs on my legs, so I had to eat it with them watching. After the first bite hunger kicked in and I finished the rest without hesitation. Blood was dripping down my arms, smeared on my face and hands and making a huge mess. I actually was surprised I made such a huge mess and managed to get it on the bed sheet as well.

"Do all trolls have teeth like that?" John asked.

"Yes they do, but in disguise the are much smaller." Dirk replied. "I'm glad Dave was able to identify and prepare correctly. Maybe you do listen to me after all lil' man."

"Don't even try touching me." Dave side stepped his brother's outstretched arm quickly. John was behind Dave in a minute, himself separating the two.

"Your brother's a pervert Dave." I growled, licking off the blood from my arms.

"He does that to everyone who isn't completely human. His study habits freak everyone out and are in fact a bit much." Dave bitterly said the last part. "But he gets us valuable information and finds things out for us that come in handy. Otherwise putting up with his poking around would be unbearable."

"Is everyone in your club weird?"

"Pretty much. Egdork, Crocker, Harley, English, Lalondes, my brother and I, and now you."

"You knew I wasn't normal?"

"Homeschooled athletic kid running late afternoon around a new town? We wanted to check you out to be sure, especially since you moved in during the middle of the night. On top of that, we say 'related to dark carnival' and you didn't ask who we meant or how we knew of them. You screamed not normal. What are you exactly?"

"Troll."

"No mix or anything? Just a full blooded troll?"

"It's the blood that throws you off, isn't it?"

"That can't be right."

"I'm a fucking mutated piece of shit, or did you not get the memo? You heard the intro they gave my brother back there."

They went silent except for Dirk's typing on his phone. There was the pounding of feet on stairs before a girl showed up in a mess of dark hair. "Is this the troll you guys found?" She asked excitedly. "What am I saying, of course this is!"

"Jade, you can't see this! It's a guy only zone right now! He doesn't have clothes on."

"I live in a house with Jake. Believe me, I'm desensitized to lack of clothing." Jade was grabbing my clothes off the desk and plopped them down near me. "He's covered in blood."

"Well, he just ate some guy's heart so." Dirk stated.

"Well can you get a wash cloth or something?"

"He hasn't eaten in a few days. Remember the accident with Rose?"

"He had five chances to bite me already and isn't taking them." She pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket before immediately trying to wipe my face. "Still fresh huh? It's amazing you have so much control over it!" She hurried over my arms.

"I can take care you myself!"

"You say, currently chained to a bed and covered in blood." Jade scoffed, going from my arms straight to my face. I was about to say something but she had my mouth covered with the cloth as she tried scrubbing blood off my face. I tried pushing her away but she had me outmatched, holding me in place as she continued. My flannel shirt was on a moment after she decided she was satisfied. "So what did you do to him?"

"Me or Dave?"

"You Dirk."

"You interested?"

"There is a live troll when I get here for once, so of course I'm interested!" Jade excitedly grabbed Dirk by the shoulders. They walked off, chattering away about whatever it was. Dave watched them wander off, sighing before entering the room.

"They don't shut up about science and robots once they get started. Believe me." Dave shook his head. "Robots and science are cool, it's just that when they get into the creepier shit... Not exactly the best of situations. They just get too excited about supernatural things."

"So no screaming 'that's impossible'?"

"In that case, they themselves are impossible. They love the impossible, improbable, and can't be trues. Live for it like it's their life blood, constantly changing theories based on what goes on and what they can find. It's not always a pleasant experience, but needed and pleasant don't always go together."

"Can you please unchain me already?"


	8. Chapter 8

Eventually I managed to get my clothes on, even with the cuffs on my legs. It was tricky, but unless I wanted to sit around in my underwear until the cuffs were taken off I didn't have much of an option. Of course Jade came back in with Dirk as I tried figuring out how to get on the other pants leg. "You got your pants on?" Jade seemed a bit surprised.

"I wear sweatpants. They stretch. I don't understand how getting them on is a difficult concept."

"How did you get it on with the cuffs?"

"I managed to pull the waistband through the space in the cuffs enough to get around my foot and pulled it up slowly so my foot went through the pants leg. Unfortunately for me, you geniuses decided chaining my ankles to the bedpost was a brilliant idea, so my legs are spread too far apart to do that with my other leg. Please tell me you guys came in here to take the handcuffs off."

"Only one of them." Dirk smirked, getting his ribs elbowed and a firm look from Jade. "I'm joking, alright? They are both coming off, but you are under our watch." Dirk pulled out the little metal key, unlocking my ankles at an agonizingly slow pace. As soon as he finished I moved back, pulling on the other pants leg quickly. "I always found it weird that trolls are stuck looking sort of childlike."

"At least I don't ever have to worry about shaving." I grumbled, looking over to see them still standing there.

"I always thought trolls had this thing about body hair, but you guys don't shave?"

"No body hair, no facial hair. No hair to shave except on my head and my eyebrows, but I am not shaving that."

"You guys are fairly hairless then. I was always wondering how you guys had such a smooth shave... guess that's why." Jade was next to me in a moment, staring at my horns. "What are horns like?"

"Let's get this into your thick skulled heads right now. Don't touch my horns, don't mess with me, and please give me back my pendant. I haven't taken the thing off in twelve years, I don't know that much about my own kind except most of them lack any problem with what they do and are devious bastards that have certain eating requirements. I don't really know anything else due to the fact a human raised me from when I was five to now. I'm an idiot when it comes to actually being a fucking troll."

"What?" Jade seemed disappointed. She stared down at her feet before grabbing my horns in her hands. Her grip was too firm for me to wiggle out of. "They feel so weird! I was expecting them to feel smooth."

"Let go of my horns!" She let go a moment later, but then Dirk was sitting next to me on the side Jade was not. I tried scooting away from him only to end up closer to Jade. "Is today the day everyone tries pushing me over the edge into a sea of complete and utter shit to deal with?"

"Sorry, it's just living trolls aren't exactly something we are used to. Besides, the fact you kept control after the hunger set in is amazing!"

"You learn to control it when living with a human."

"Well Mister I-can-deal-with-humans, we've got a day of showing you around to do!" Jade pulled my to my feet before dragging me behind her. As soon as we were down the steps I spotted just how many people were here. John was quickly in my line out sight, smile on his face. "Karkat! So you weren't too dangerous after all."

I glared at him and the entire crowd of people, although six other people in a room isn't exactly a crowd to anyone. Dave came racing down the stairs before skidding to a stop and calmly taking a seat at the counter. Dirk came down the stairs, not bothering to look around the room. "Why is Jake asleep?"

"He hasn't charged up in a while. You know how he feels about it." Jade sighed. "Can't blame him through. Not exactly what someone would be happy with as a condition."

"I think I've got something."

"Is this like last time? I want a thorough explanation this time on how it works before you can touch Jake." Jade stated, getting mixed results from everyone else from red faced embarrassment to snorts of laughter. "Grow up already! This is a serious problem and lack of investigation last time hurt him."

"I am lost when it comes to the mystery that is Jake, but I can assure you I've got it this time."

"I'm not taking any answer besides 'here is my work explaining how it works."

"Fine. Someone wake him up." Dirk readjusted his shades. "He should be up for when we test, since it's his choice. Come on Harley." He then lead her out of the room and down the hall. Everyone's gaze shifted to John. John groaned, getting up and walking up to the sleeping boy curled up in a ball on the couch. He looked so little and peaceful, and in fact had a strange allure to him that I immediately recognized as the very faint pull of an incubus, much weaker than even a well fed demon should have.

"What's wrong with him? I thought you guys were human."

"You can sense it!" A girl with pink eyes exclaimed in surprise. "How did you know?"

"One, that allure is meant for humans; two, something is wrong with him. Why is it so weak? A well fed incubus has a stronger pull then him, but at this point it should be hard to resist with him not being able to stay awake."

"Ask him yourself." John stated, leaning down and hesitating a moment before kissing him. For a while he sat there lip locked before Jake started to stir, a moment after his eyes started opening his arms wrapped around John's neck. As soon as his eyes see completely open it seemed to dawn on him what he was doing. He pulled away and sat on the couch looking off to the side. "No hom-"

"I know you aren't homosexual, it was just your turn this time." Jake muttered in his british accent. His hands were in his lap away from John, green eyes staring straight into blue ones. He quickly looked away. "What is Dirk up to this time? Is it another bloody machine?"

"Not sure, but he said to wake you up in case Jade gave him the go ahead this time."

"If it is another robot of him I swear I'll leave right now."

"That can't be that ba-"

"No, it can be that bad! The last ghastly thing gave me a concussion and broke my wrist." Jake snapped. "Do you know how bad it is to be a hurt, hungry incubus mix?! I couldn't think straight much less fend people off!" He took a breath. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it John."

"Don't worry, I get you're just stressed. Hey, we've got a new member. That's Karkat, he's a cranky troll."

"I'm not cranky!" I looked up from John to Jake. "If you don't mind me asking, exactly how much of you is demon?"

He sighed. "I'm about one eighth. I'm undetectable by hunters if I'm in good conditions and not seriously injured, but I still have to... feed at least once a month to stay undetectable. I haven't in two and a half months, although the kiss should help me keep awake." His face was a bit red.

"How do you all know each other anyway? Just ran into each other?"

"Well," the pink hair girl chimed in," we sort of know each other through relation. I'm Rosey's and Dirk's sister, and Davey's half sister. John and Janey are siblings and Jake and Jade are their cousins. We both formed little family investigation clubs due to our weird genetics and then we both were investigating the same town once. Long story short we joined forces because Dave kidnapped John on accident thinking he was what caused the events in the town."

"That was one time years ago." Dave immediately headed for the kitchen. "We have vodka still?"

"Unless you want to drink from the medical cabinet we don't have alcohol." Dirk sighed, Jade at Dirk's side. "Jake you can go back to sleep. Jade said my calculations were off and that her calculations are that she will punch me in the face if I tried going around her back again. So, do you want to try anyway? It's not another Brobot."

Jake took a deep breath before looking over to Jade. "How off do you think his calculations are?"

"Exponential less than last time, but I still think that it won't work. I promise that it's not another Dirk robot. It's Dave this time."

I heard cursing from the kitchen. Dave stomped in the room, red across his face. "When did you do that?"

"Month ago. I would have done someone else but I'm not sure it would be comparable. Harley agrees that you are the closest to my compatibility with Jake except maybe Jane."

"That's why you were so nice." Dave flopped on the couch. "That's low man, even for you."

"Needed to test my new theory. Thank Jade for it being so unnoticeable. So, what do you say Jake?"

Jake sighed before slowly getting up. "It's worth a try at this rate." His eyes went wide in surprise as Dirk grabbed his wrist with a smirk, dragging the boy quickly down the hall.

"So, what are you guys mixed with?"

The purple eyed girl slowed her knitting a bit. "I myself along with my dear sister Roxy are mixed with the terrors of the darkest depths, but only a tenth, and so is Dirk. Dave is-"

"None of your business." Dave interrupted coldly.

"Stop being so melodramatic. I'll skip you only due to your sensitivity, but you really need to learn to accept yourself. You're digging yourself a hole like Jake was- of course until he almost died from lack of feeding. By the way, have you been keeping up with your-"

"Drop it." Dave glared at her. As soon as she opened her mouth Dave had her mouth covered. "I just said drop it. No bringing up any of my freakiness, just drop it."

Rose rolled her eyes before giving a slight nod. Dave backed off, heading down the hall in what would have been his usual emotionless manner had his hands not been balled into fists at his sides. "Where was I?" Rose thought a moment, knitting what appeared to be a scarf. "Of yes, so after Dave I guess we move on to John and Jane, who are one eighth guardian, sixth with Jade, and then you know about Jake."

"How many of you have conditions required for living that are not human?"

"Jake, Dave, and Jade. The rest of us are in too small a concentration for the down sides to be active, but we still get little boosts from it." She paused a moment. "You know each of us by name correct? Should I go back and introduce everyone?"

"I've got you guys figured out. You're Rose, she's Roxy, I've been told who everyone else is, and the only person here who looks like John's girl clone has to be his sister, so she's Jane." I looked over to a giggling Jane. "Ha ha, you two have the same haircut- why are you guys basically clones?!" Jane and John exchanged glances, and immediately it clicked. "You guys are twins aren't you?"

"What? No way... that's actually completely true actually. He just prefers being a boy"

"And you prefer being a girl."

"And I'm completely lost." I looked between them.

"The spirit that affected them is androgynous and lacking any gender, and it usual surprises people that they are identical. They basically had to figure out what they wanted to be, which is one of the few differences betweens. They keep their hair cut the same so they can swap places for prank reasons, which includes flipping physical biology. It really is interesting." Rose seemed to be thinking of it.

"We talking about the Crocker-Berts?" Dirk showed up, hair messy and singed. John and Jane both seemed to think the same thing.

"Dirk, stop drinking all the apple juice!" Jane huffed louder than necessary. Moments later Dave came barreling into the room only to realize he had been tricked the moment he and Dirk had already began wrestling in the middle of the room. They rolled around and due to my lack of knowledge on wrestling I'm not exactly sure who was winning. Fairly soon Dirk had Dave pinned against the couch arm and staring at Jane. John and Jane were trying extremely hard not to laugh, only to realize they were about to be up against two annoyed Striders. "Hey, Karkat knows about all of us except Dave, power wise and genetics wise. Anything you want to add?"

Dave grits his teeth as Dirk seems to realize this. "Why wouldn't you explain Dave? You have the coolest powers amongst us." Dave and Dirk sprung back into a wrestling match before Dave somehow was four feet behind him and taking off down the hall. I looked over to Jane and John.

"Yeah, that was mean." Jane sighed. "In my defense he was tied with me and John in the pranking war, but he'll be fine. Karkat, I might have a plan for the carnival."


	9. Chapter 9

I don't want to do this. I look back again at John hiding in the bushes, following me along with the others as back up incase something happened. Even though they were just trying to help, it doesn't make me feel any better walking into the Makara's grasp willingly, but it was the only way to keep them distracted while everyone else snuck around. The security in itself was bad enough without having to deal with them.

I almost turned around three times, but through persuasion I kept going. At the gate I took a breath before walking up. "Can I get a ticket please?"

The guy looked at me and almost couldn't believe his eyes. "Don't worry about the ticket. Just head in." He pulled up a black ticket, holding it up in front of the voodoo dolls almost hurriedly.

"...Thanks." I should have turned around, but no, I walked in. The workers of the carnival seemed really surprised to see me, and it took everything I had not to run right then. An arm wrapped it's way around my shoulders before whoever it was hurried me along. Next thing I knew I was pushed into the freak show tent past the cat eared troll girl, stumbling over the entryway before landing on the floor. I rolled onto my back, looking up only to see Gamzee's grinning face and the dull face of Kurloz.

"He came back! I told you bro!" Gamzee crouched down, picking me up like I was a baby. "I missed you Karbro! Where did you all up and go off to? You know what it doesn't matter!"

"Gamzee, he was sneaking around again." Kurloz stated, voice barely even a whisper. "Don't you think we should check him over? Make sure he is unarmed?"

"He's safe! Karbro would never hurt me."

"That's what I thought of Kankri." Kurloz took a step closer. "At least take him to our room so I can verify he is unarmed and uninjured." Gamzee nodded in agreement and quickly I had to grab onto him because I thought he was going to drop me. They hurried me out the back of the tent, heading between security and quickly into a little metal trailer behind the tent where I was carefully placed on the table. A look around and what had to be Gamzee's room, littered with empty soda bottles and food tins. Kurloz dug a first aid kit out of somewhere in this mess.

"No worries Karbro, he's just checking you over." Gamzee goofily smiled at me, but I don't know if I can be okay with this because I'm in complete and utter panic right now hidden behind a goofy anxious smile. Taking off the pendant made my hair return to ginger and I gave up with contacts, so basically I looked like I shittily attempted to sneak back in. At least I have my pendant on, otherwise panic might have ensued amongst town goers just with me walking to the carnival.

Kurloz unclipped my pendant, putting it on the top of one of the kitchen shelves far out of my reach before patting me down. I forgot to ask for my sickles back, so luckily they weren't on me to be taken away. Kurloz looked me in the eyes, but them grabbed my arm to put a bandage over a cut I got from a tree branch. "He seems alright. I've got a few tests to run before I think he's truly safe."

"I just want him to stay with me." Gamzee pulled me into another bear hug, nuzzling the side of my head.

"I can get some of the chains we use for Kankri if you want." For a second I thought I had a heart attack.

"How about just the collar? I don't want to chain him up." I relaxed an inch.

"Fine, but keep him in here while I find it." He then turned around, silently heading down the little steps and out the door, lock clicking behind him. I was locked in a metal box with Gamzee Makara of all people.

"Oh gog, what's happening?" I didn't get a response, just slowly dragged from the table to the seat at the booth table while Gamzee held me like a five year old holds a stuffed animal at nap time. I was so small he did this easily despite my minor protest of desperately trying to grip the table for dear life.

"You don't know how I missed you." He whispered into my ear. Every moment with him just made me hope they came back to help me. I swear if they just made me give myself up to the Makaras as a distraction and ditch me I will find a way out just to give them all an earful of yelling over it. Gamzee seems satisfied with holding me like I might be taken away at any moment.

Kurloz came pounding back in, and if it weren't for the pounding steps I wouldn't know something is up. Gamzee immediately turned to the side, taking me with him, putting himself between me and his brother. "Gamzee." He coldly stated, heavy box dropped next to me before I heard the rattle of chains as he crouched down. Gamzee hugged me almost unbearably tight, and a felt what could only be Kurloz's hand rest on my head.

"No, Karkat is different!"

"Gamzee, please. For your own sake."

"No!"

"Look, just this once. One of those children who were with him are here looking for him."

"They have to go through me first!"

"Gamzee, your assistance in chasing them off would be better than waiting."

"Only for today?"

"Yes."

Gamzee let go of me, but knowing what Kurloz was probably up to I hugged Gamzee. Kurloz pulled me back anyway and snapped a heavy collar around my neck like I was some kind of crazy monstrous beast. A moment later I was being lead off on a chain. "Wait, can't I just have my pendant at least?"

Kurloz looked like he was going to refuse, but Gamzee went and grabbed it, sticking it around my neck. I was dragged off a moment later, roughly and barely able to stay on my feet. It's how I saw them drag Kankri into the ring, so it must be the only way they could outmuscle him. It was annoying as hell though and insanely difficult to try pulling free when you could barely even stay upright, much less even walk right.

He dragged me down what seemed like storage. Jars of strange things and crawling creatures skittering around glass prisons, and by the time I finally could stand up right I had already been pushed into a metal cage and the lock slammed shut, but the chain was still on and hooked the end chained where I couldn't reach it on the outside of the little metal box. I tried getting the collar off, but it didn't work do to the fact this thing could stay put on way stronger than me. Everything about how I was locked up was more than necessary, and the only thing between me and the floor of the crate was hay. I yanked on the door roughly only to hear the rattling of chains and clanking of the door against the lock.

The dark tent lacked any hint as to exactly which way I came in and how I can get out of here. I looked around, noticing the sharp edge near the door. I felt it, pulling back immediately when I felt the edge cut at my hand, candy red blood glistening in the little light there was. Focusing on it was slow, but I had a red sickle in hand and while it wasn't as strong as my usual weapons it was enough to pick the lock through the bars. Soon enough I had the metal collar off and dropped somewhere in the hay, slowly swinging open the door. It took some coaxing to get the blood back in the cut in my hand and my lack of exploring this ability left blood splattered all over the hay and chains and even the door, some still dripping from my hand. I would bandage it later when I had something clean to wrap it with, but for now I'm leaving a blood trail that I know would be a bitch explaining to police if they showed up or cleaning up.

Things hissed and skittered around in their containers as I walked past, and I tried ignoring them as I walked past. I found a tent edge, crawling under the bottom edge and into the spiky bushes outside it. Up on my feet again, I managed to work my way around the edge and into the forest tree line, a hand on my shoulder scaring me half to death. I spun around just to be face to face with Jane. "What the fuck was that for?!" I hissed, looking around to make sure the coast is clear," Did you guys sneak in?"

"We did what we could before the Makaras caught on." Her eyes drifted down to my dripping hand. "What happened?"

"They threw me in a cage when they realized you guys were sneaking around. Time makes things rusty and sharp."

"Give me your hand." Jane huffed, grabbing my hand and looking over it. She reached into her bag, pulling out her first aid kit and pouring rubbing alcohol on a piece of cloth before trying to clean my hand. "Hold still!"

"Sticking my hand into boiling water would burn less!"

"Drama queen." Jane started wrapping my hand, tossing me over her shoulder a moment later as she started making her way through the edge of the woods.

"What the hell are y-"

"Shut up!" She hissed. "You do realize you waltzed your way threw three bushes at the same volume as a bulldozer threw a wall, right? The Makaras are human, but they are not deaf!"

"Did you guys at least rescue my brother?"

"I don't know, I was just supposed to keep an eye on you. We can figure it out when we reach the hideout."


	10. Chapter 10

"What do mean you guys didn't save Kankri?!" I growled at the group around me as Jade stitched up my hand. They all looked amongst each other, but couldn't seem to figure out what they were going to say.

Dave and Dirk exchanged glances. "Your brother wasn't going anywhere with the time we had to work with, unless he lost some limbs. They had him chained by his neck, wrists, ankles, gagged, blindfolded, and in a metal box that was locked shut. He wasn't even doing well when we got there, twitching and spazzing out in his chains. We unlocked the door by the time the Makaras were on our tail. If only we had more time." Dirk looked over to Dave.

"Hell no. We just have to work with regular time."

"What do you mean? Do one of you happen to be a time traveler and thought that with our limited time span it wouldn't be useful? Oh hey, it's not like some murderous ass clown duo are running around, possibly hurting your friends or anything!" I glared between the two. Jade smacked my head. "What was that for?"

"For being an ass. If Dave doesn't want to time travel he doesn't have to." She finished off the last stitch. "You aren't exactly the prime example of confidence in your abilities."

"How do you think I got out? Magic?"

"Then why didn't you do that with the cuffs when we had you?"

"I was weak and I don't need an audience when using my abilities." Jade looked like she was done dealing with me. "I haven't seen you use your abilities."

"That's because I haven't had to! You know what?" She stepped back, a shower of sparks rained down around her until a moment later she was across the barn. She walked over to Jake and sat on the hay bale next to him with a huff. "At least the trip wasn't for nothing."

"What do you mean?"

"I'll show ya'." Roxy grabbed my good hand, dragging me into a stable with her. There in the big jar with the cork pulled out, was a very nervous looking fish boy squinting at us before ducking underwater again. I recognized him from the freak show tent immediately, and he definitely would be easier to carry off then my brother. I went over to the jar but he still was squinting at me from where he was. He stopped squinting, a kick and he was leaning on the edge of the jar.

"Kankri? Is that you?" He asked, almost seeming excited although his tone stuck more to annoyed.

"No, I'm Kankri's brother, Karkat. Kankri is still at the carnival unfortunately."

"Wait," his voice sort of warbled his w's," I'm not at the carnival anymore? Where am I?"

"You're at a secret hideout. Why, did you want to stay at the carnival?"

"Oh fuck no. My brother joined them willingly and dragged me along, you know, because of my appearance. After that they kept me locked up in the trailer my brother stays in, the only time I leave is when I'm asleep and in this stupid container."

"How do you know Kankri?"

"He's been around the longest. They locked him up at night first and for effect for the freak show, but otherwise he tried helping them. He thought he could try getting Kurloz to let him go, and when that didn't work he tried running and trying to get people out, then finally he tried to stab them. After that they chained him up all the time, and they laughed when he could no longer run off and hide when his visions came in." He frowned. "Do you know how hard it is to be stuck next to him? Fucking crybaby, going on about some car accident he was supposed to prevent." He paused. "Wait a minute, aren't you supposed to be dead?"

"I'm here aren't I?"

"So are your parents alive?"

"They didn't make it. Same with yours I'm guessing?"

He frowned. "Only the Makaras have parents at the carnival. Thanks for reminding me." He sunk back into the jar.

"Oh no you don't." I had to stack up two wooden crates to be able to even be able to reach in the jar that was barely taller than him. Everyone was too fucking tall for their own good. I sat on my knees on the splintering crates, holding the edge of the jar to keep balance. "You want to sulk then I won't let you sulk in this damn jar. Come on." I held out a hand to him, drenching my flannel sleeve in the process. He just gave me a questioning look. "I will come in there after you, don't doubt me for a second, because I fucking will."

He grabbed my hand, and then with a smirk dragged me in. I managed to keep from going in completely, pulling back and managing to get my head above water again and hear him laugh at me. "I thought you were pulling me out not coming in."

"Laugh it up fishdick, you're the one who weighs a ton!"

"Soaking wet you maybe reach ninety pounds. I was going to be able to pull you in easy."

"It's on fuck face!" I pulled as hard as I could, Roxy catching the jar as it, the crates, myself, and fish face toppled over. The hard floors of the barn are not welcoming or great to land on, and I look up to see I cut my leg on the wood crate and fish breath. "Of fucking course this happens. No, it can't just go good for once, I have to fall on sharp crates."

"You're definitely related to Kankri with the amount of complaining you do."

"Can I at least know your name before we continue with our back and forth insults?"

"Eridan. Eridan Ampora. You wouldn't happen to have any clothes I could borrow would you?"

"If you get off of me and I will get you clothes." He got off of me immediately, and I sat up and threw him my hoodie. Roxy set the jar back up, then led Eridan out of the room. I looked to be sure they left before trying to practice my ability on my leg. I think I had broken a sweat fixing the long scrape, and I still dripped blood on the floor, but it was fixed up. I kicked spilled water at the drops of blood before sitting down to wipe the blood off my leg. I spotted Dave standing in the corner as soon as I had sat down. "How long have you been standing there?!"

"Long enough to watch your freaky blood bender powers."

"That should at least allow me to know your powers."

"I can't show you them right now..."

"Why the fuck not?"

"No one around here likes keeping up with requirements."

"Well, what do you need?"

"I've got two options. A human child's blood... or a troll's blood."

"I'm sorry, and you were worried I was going to eat you?"

"The irony of the situation is at the front of my mind." Dave frowned. "Don't worry, I only go after the dangerous ones. Dirk found out that troll blood and and child's blood were so similar they both work for me, so unless you're willing to give me blood I can't show you."

"Oh, and you think you're going to scare me off by saying that?" He did a little, but that wasn't the point. I had to figure out what his powers were, even if it made me uncomfortable, because I was already uncomfortable with him knowing. "Well too bad, I'm not scared at all! I'm a troll, go ahead and tell me if I have to do anything."

He slid the stable door completely shut, sliding the door bolt in place. "This is just because I don't need them seeing me while using my powers." He was in front of me almost a second after, almost like he skipped a moment. "Are you sure you're fine with me drinking your blood?"

"Did I stutter? Just tell me what to do. Are you like a vampire and go for the neck? Do I just offer you my arm or leg?"

"Just offer me something here, otherwise I will just go with your neck." I leaned forward for him, pulling back my flannel shirt collar. He wasn't too happy with it, but I felt his teeth at my neck soon after his face disappeared from view.

"Fuck!" It hurt, but that's sort of expected. He bit quickly and sort of lingered over the cut to lap up what dripped down my neck. It was weird, end of story. He pulled away with unnaturally bright red painting his lips and smudged on his face. He took a step back, grabbing my hand before opening the door.

Everyone was completely still, no movement at all and John in a position he couldn't hope to keep balanced for this long. "I can pause time. You can probably tell now." Dave stated. I looked over to him to see his appearance had changed. The Dave holding my hand looked like he was a little younger, features a little softer, and had white wings sheltered around me and him as we looked over everyone. "You don't know how hard it is to continue on like nothing happened when you get pushed back at least a few months in age every time you eat something you have to, or even just because you got sick. You understand why I didn't want to share this openly? Probably not, since you'll never look a day over twenty in your life."

"You can get younger by being sick?"

"Yeah. It's my body's way of helping me out. 'Hey he's sick, what should we do?' 'Make this kid age backwards the whole time. Case of Benjamin Buttons his ass.'" He sighed, pushing up his shades. "Fresh blood hits me hard, the younger they are the younger I become."

"What's the absolute worst?"

He sighed. "Blood from an older troll that's been sitting in my fridge for almost a month is disgusting, but it's the best since it doesn't really age me visible as much. The worst my mother had, which is the only way I know of it, but the heart of a newborn human baby. Of course, rough on Bro, who then killed her for doing so."

"That's sort of harsh."

Dave shrugged. "He made point to protect humans and at the time she was a monster. He never knew what she was until that moment, and as soon as he found out I thought he would do the same to me. Instead of occasional visits he became my guardian, and eventually we figured out the troll thing."

"What did you do in the meantime?"

"Rose, Roxy, and Dirk were more than willing stick there necks out for me, literally. Bro didn't trust me at first and put the blood in sippy cups instead for a few years."

"So, are you some weird form of vampire?"

"Vampires can't eat hearts, just blood." He replied. "None of us really know what I am name wise. Dirk does know some fantastic fucking wards against me though."

"Wait, you can be warded against? How much of you is human?"

"Half."

"Your Bro is completely human?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Nothing, just thought your mom would have been at least a little human."

"Well, she wasn't." Dave dragged me back with him into the stable, closing and bolting the door before letting go of my hand. He must have done something else because he looked completely normal when I turned around to look at him.

"How did you hide your wings? Or are they just showing when you time travel?"

"They are showing all the time, I am just good at hiding them when I haven't just changed age."

"That's... a fair point." I watched him turn to stare at the door. He unbolted the door, but he didn't seem like he wanted to open it. He sat on a crate off to the side, away from the door. It was definitely late, or rather early since I could see the sun rising out the window. I walked out of the stable, quickly closing it behind me for Dave. "I've got to be heading home. It is pretty early."

"Why not stay here?" Dirk offered.

"He should head home." Dave piped in. "Come on Karkat." He quickly dragged me out the barn door. We had a long, silent walk home... That is, until Dave nudged me roughly another way. "I hate to tell you, but we have some gum on our shoes." I looked down and couldn't find gum on my shoes, but his words clicked as I realized the sound of a car motor was a bit behind us at this early an hour. "You know, we can't go home, but we can't stay here either. Our best bet is the gas station right now."

"No heading back now I guess. It's straight down this road another block or so." I was already taking a step forward. Dave was walking along with me, hands buried in his pockets. Of course, lonely road at the crack of dawn, the vehicle had no problem pulling up to us. Now, I've seen my share of creepy vans, but when a beat up black van pulls up in front of you on the sidewalk, you generally don't walk the other way in a slow or calm manner. Since we both decided to run the other way, we ran head first into someone I didn't get to exactly see before I was knocked out yet again. From the blurry image that danced in my image as I faded into unconsciousness, I'm pretty sure I'm headed back to the carnival.


	11. Chapter 11

I slowly woke up with my head reeling and vision spinning. I felt like I was going to vomit, slowly trying to take in the world around me. Both my wrist were chained to opposite sides of the metal box I was in, excess chain out of sight and a pile of soft blankets under me. The cuffs around my wrists were thick, so there was no breaking them, and the chains were thick so they weren't easily going to snap, if at all. With how my wrists are chained the lowest I can go is an awkward standing position.

When I finally had a little bit of a clearer head I looked around, immediately noticing Dave across from me. He had blood dripping from his lip, his shirt was in shreds and his wings hung limply around him. Due to a height difference between us, Dave could actually rest on his knees because he was insanely tall and just lucky that way. He was insanely unlucky in the fact he was captured, chained up, along with missing his shades and most of his shirt. He wasn't in good shape at all, the blood puddle forming under him and cuts saying it clearly.

"Dave! Dave wake up!" I shouted, standing up correctly so I could try rattling my chains to wake him up. He wasn't waking up, so I decided to try plan b. I moved my hands around as much as I could, but I couldn't find any sharp edges in reach of any of my limbs. I can't remember if I had a plan c to begin with or if I was just hopping there was a way out of this. That's when I spotted the mark painted on the metal floor under Dave. That's probably why he wasn't waking up.

Footsteps pounded their way down to where we were, and I could just hope they weren't here for Dave or me. Of course, the universe had to prove me wrong and make us both exactly who they were looking for. The door to my cage was opened first. "Hey, calm down, I'm not going to hurt you." The guy was decked out in bones much like Kurloz, but with his tan features and shorter stature was definitely not him, especially with the red streaks. Everything about this guy seemed too friendly to be associated with this nightmare minus the bones.

He looked at the chains nervously, going around to the side of the cage. The amount of chain clipped off was shortened, giving me more room to move, the guy running around and doing the same to the other side. I could finally drop to a sitting position, and to a sitting position I went because my legs were killing me. Red streak guy was back in sight, slowly coming in the cage with a box in hand. "I'm patching you up, alright?" He opened the box the reveal a first aid kit, immediately pulling out gauze, rubbing alcohol, and scissors. He brought the scissors up to my forehead and clipped away some bloody gauze, going behind me to clean up a cut that was at the back of my head before redressing the wound. "Are you hungry? Any pain?"

"Where am I?"

"The Makara Brothers' Carnival."

"Why the hell am I here?" I growl at him, he immediately moved back.

"I don't know. Right now I'm just supposed to check up on you and your friend and make sure you both aren't hungry or anything." He lifts up a thermos from his bag, unscrewing the top before holding it out to me, seeming a bit deterred when I didn't grab it. "It's not poisoned or anything, I swear." He pulled out a strip of meat and ate it. "See? Not dangerous at all."

I grabbed it, not too happy with it, but I couldn't let this idiot get all upset that I didn't eat anything and end up with a Makara over here. When he seemed satisfied I gave him his thermos back and he immediately tried wiping the blood that dripped everywhere off of me. A moment later the cage door was locked and Dave's was opened. Dave didn't wake up, didn't move, just hung by his wrist unaware of what was happening to him. He was bandaged up, a syringe of blood forced down his throat.

Dave woke up and coughed, struggling in his restraints. "What-" he was cut of by gagging and more coughing, the red streaked guy looking frightened for his life. "What... the fuck... was that?" A few more coughs and he managed to get control of himself.

"You're supposed to eat blood..."

"No, I'm supposed to eat children's blood." I realized what Dave was doing, but red streaked hair guy did not. "You're going to make me sick."

"I, I'm on it." He ran off, Dave sighing as he waited for him to slip out of sight.

"They got you two?" Dave looked over to me, red eyes almost seeming to glow.

"Why the hell didn't you use your powers?!"

"It was sun up."

"So?"

"So my powers don't work when the sun is past the horizon. At the horizon? Yes. Touching the horizon? Yes. Just below the horizon? Yes. Anywhere above the horizon or in the sky? Hell no, it won't work. If there is an eclipse I can use my powers during that time, but that is the only daytime exception."

"That's some lame ass shit right there Strider."

"I don't see you in any better a position with your powers. Besides, even if the sun goes down I have a protection charm under my feet rendering me useless and the same with you." I looked down, but the floor was covered in blankets. Kicking them around I could start to see the edge of the symbol he was talking about. "So, who are you betting will show first? Gamzee to hug you, Kurloz to hurt us, that guy to help me, or back up to save both our asses."

"You don't think we can escape on our own?"

"I'm sorry, have you had more experience escaping a circus that wants you than I do, especially at this level of lock down?" He glared at me with eyes already starting to seem dead. "If we can't bust out, sooner or later they will stop bringing me blood and I won't be able to even stay this human. Sooner or later you will be Gamzee's little plaything. The circus will be up and gone in three more nights, Karkat. Even with all the planning in the world we could only sneak in when they didn't know who to look for." 

I was about to give up talking, seeing how useless it seemed, but then I started thinking the words over about the blood. It started sinking in, slowly but my skull was thick as a concrete elephant when I had my mind set on something. Actually, I'm a dumbass for not realizing it earlier; the look in his eyes, his guilt about what he was, the fact Jade specifically said living trolls were unusual to see... I look up at him, horrified a moment. "You don't need to drink blood, do you?"

Dave glared of to the side, not answering my question. "Dave, what exactly does the blood do?" He wouldn't answer me or look at me, just stare off to the side. "Dave?"

"If I drink it I can disguise myself all the way down to my wings."

"How much is human without it?"

"Half. I already told you."

"W-"

"Shut up!" He snapped, angrily glaring at me. "You want to talk about flaws? Let's talk about yours for a while then, if we can find some to talk about perfect Prince-fucking-Karkat." He slumped down in his chains, thrashing harshly a moment only to find that they wouldn't budge even a little.

"Dave, I'm s-"

"Shh."

"I'm trying to apologize fuckfac-"

"Shh." He was listening carefully. I was about to ask what he was hearing when I heard the heavy set of steps headed our way. We both looked as best as we could the way the steps were coming from, stopping once we heard chains and a lighter pair of footsteps. Dragged past, recognition in his eyes just as he started to pass by, was Kankri. Fresh blood dripped down his cheeks and from his raw wrist, blood coating the shackles that probably haven't come off in quite some time. His first reaction was to stop walking, only to be yanked along roughly by the Makara brothers to where a cage was probably waiting for him. He didn't manage to get out any words beyond a cry of surprise and a hiss of pain as he was almost yanked off his feet.

Of course, both Makaras, red streaked guy, and a sweaty boy with google in leather attire came back to where Dave and I were. I couldn't see what they were holding well, but my mind flashed back to when Gamzee asked if he could show me a trick as a child, so proud of himself at the time and years later he had the same expression, but it was quickly turned to Dave. All I could see past the small crowd was Dave's frightened face disappear from my line of sight, but I could hear. Hear him swear and chains rattle as Gamzee continued his muttering. Soon the panicked curses and rattling chains were accompanied by the flapping of wings and scratch of claws against metal.

They moved back, setting the chains up tight to hold Dave in place as they pulled out leather strips and metal cuffing. I have no clue what it is, but what I can see of Dave is scared shitless and silently pleading. He's swept from my sight as they fall onto him like a pack of rabid dogs; slowly approaching, then all at the same time. Dave was screeching and his voice shaking as all he seemed to shout and cry was no and curses and begs to stop. Soon enough the rattle of chains was heard and as soon as they all backed away Dave slumps to the floor completely different.

He was some sort of monster like me all right. The scaled pale bird legs and sharply clawed hands gave way to his mainly human form. His wings were much bigger and definitely stronger, a tail of feathers poking out of the top of his pants. He had, much to both of our dismay, black and dark colored clothes on now that seemed tight top wise and too small for him to hide his wings, tattered fabric barely covering his shoulders and the upper half of his torso, pants that seemed too big had the ends held tightly closed with bandages wrapped around the waist and cuffs before they were tied off. Bandages also found their way wrapped around his hands down to his now unchained wrists and down his ankles, poking out of the leather straps over his ankles, clamped in place by metal cuffs. Half the freak show was theatrical, and their attack to Dave's appearance left him looking devastated. The leather straps were like oversized leashes with clamped in metal loops clipped in to the lengths of chain. It was then that I realized the leather strips were falconry jesses.

I was scared what they would do to me. Gamzee opened the door and I tried bracing myself for the worst, trying to pull as far back as I could. "Karbro? Why are you scared of me? Did someone hurt you?" He immediately asked, climbing in before kneeling in front of me, his height now close to mine instead of towering over me. My legs gave up on me as soon as I felt his hand brush my cheek, and he hugged me immediately in panic. "What's wrong? Bro?!"

It took me a moment to realize the same treatment of Dave might not be placed on me. "I... You aren't going to hurt me?" I almost regretted the moment those words left my mouth. He looked angry, my head being hugged into his chest.

"What did you fuckers do to him?" I couldn't hear anyone else with my head buried in his chest.

"Gamzee! Gamzee, let go of my head!" I couldn't breath so well from where I was. He loosened his grip and I spent a good length of time just trying to get air in my lungs.

"The point stays. Whether he likes it or not." Kurloz stated, soft footsteps as he left. Gamzee let go of me, leaving after him. Just as I thought they forgot, sweaty guy remembered to close the door to my cage. I looked over to Dave, the two of us newly terrified.

"Well..." I tried saying something to get our minds off what just happened. "We know who came to get us first."


	12. Chapter 12

Dave refuses to do anything but mope. They scrubbed off the charm sometime in our sleep, so he can use some of his powers. Mainly he's been trying to fight the jesses and get them off, but it doesn't seem to be working. At one point he tried clawing his way through the leather only to find that strips of metal ran through the middle of it, which cut up his hands and ankle when he tried ripping it out. He gave up when blood started pooling at his feet in dangerous amounts. As soon as his powers stopped working they came by to check on us, immediately redoing Dave's ankle bandages and switching the jesses out before basically clamping his hands into unescapable oven mitts so he couldn't try clawing his way out again. Twenty minutes later they had to do a similar thing with his feet.

I was feeling hungry, like I hadn't eaten in days when I was feed some time early today or late yesterday, but my restraint and concern for Dave kept those thoughts at bay. I wasn't the only one keeping watch of Dave however, and when they were finally sure he wasn't going to do anything else they decided to turn their attention on me. Gamzee was no where in sight, but Kurloz definitely was awake, sweaty boy peering around him nervously and red streak boy to his left, a girl in a deeply v-necked dress to his right. The girl had some things in her arms that were probably meant for me, one look and I knew the rugged looking clothes were bad news.

In a flurry of movements, yanks, pulls, and other things I couldn't really keep an eye on, I was tossed roughly onto the ground in the different clothes. How the hell they moved that fast was a mystery to me. I was yanked back up, heavy metal collar around my neck and hooked up to chains instead of my wrists. They tied gloves over my hands, basically rendering my nails useless to do anything, instead of just trimming my nails. The girl looked me over, seeming satisfied with her work. I realized she looked very similar to the glowing girl.

"He really does look like a tiny Kanny." She replied, seeming to think about it. "Except he is much more quiet. Speaking of Kankri," she turned to Kurloz. "I finished my end of the deal."

"I already said it."

"You're just going to leave him locked up in there?"

"It's for his own safety. His visions, new comers like this one." Kurloz motioned towards Dave. "It's not safe."

"Then when will it be safe to let him wander the carnival again?"

"Next location."

"When are you telling him about his brother?"

"He knows."

She shot a glare over to Dave. "What even is he?"

"Half human, half cursed bird."

"Wait, just a cursed bird? Not some weird human looking bird thing or a troll?"

"No, just the child of a human and bird."

"I'm really concerned why a human would go at it with a bird."

"Eating the heart of a child would make them human a short while, blood works as well. Human forever requires an infant's heart."

"That's harsh. Is that even guaranteed to work?"

"No. If it does he would appear as an olden knight."

"Was the bird a dove or something."

He shook his head. "Can't tell. Albino. Probably crow."

"Are you giving him time in the ring this town or letting him adjust?"

"Ring tonight." Dave immediately moved back at the sound of those words.

"I don't know. He seems too scared to go out there. I can whip up a mask, which might help. This is his hometown after all." She looked down at his hands and feet. "Especially if he's destructive, a mask might help."

"Go ahead." Kurloz stated, doodling something quickly on some scrap paper before handing it to her. "You only have an hour to work with."

"I can get it done." She walked off, paper in hand. She disappeared quickly from sight. Her disappearance was quickly followed up with Gamzee angrily pulling Kurloz out of sight for what was to undoubtedly be a very upset discussion. I looked down at the clothes, wondering how they were so fast that I couldn't figure it out to even fight them on it until it was already over. Gamzee sped past, but Kurloz decided he wasn't done with me and tied a ragged cloak around my neck, hood pulled down over my head.

It was a long silence before the girl showed up again. The mask was over Dave's head and moments later she slipped chains to the ends of the jesses and dragged him off. I didn't get to watch him walk off because the sweaty boy showed up, switching me once again to chains from both wrists, wiping something across my cheeks before dragging me behind him. Dave and I were pulled up to the tent's back entrance way, but then we were just held there. No amount of tugging and pulling could get them to move from their spots and trying to attack them only got us both heaping mouthfuls of dirt, boot and, fucking amazingly, more dirt.

"Here you go Porrim." Kurloz gently set down the glowing girl, who I could have sworn I saw thrashing a tugging and lunging about at the end of the chains when I had seen the freak show before. Dave was handed over, his gloves over his hands and feet quickly taken off before he was dragged into the tent. Porrim, as the girl in the deep v-necked dress was called, unchained the glowing girl after handing the chains to Dave over.

"Careful, he's rough." She replied as Dave was dragged in. Her attention went to the glowing girl, the to of them so alike they probably were related. "Hold still Kanaya." She stated, the girl freezing in place. A few locks opened and tugs later Porrim had all the chains, cuffs, and restraints off, Kanaya stretching and straightening up her clothes. Kanaya wasn't exactly what I expected. With the heavy duty restraints gone she just looked like a tall girl in a vampire costume, especially since she had stopped glowing.

I looked over to the entrance again as I heard the crowd shout and screech. Dave was definitely not in any sort of good mood with how he had his wings flared out like an angry mother bird protecting her babies. Another sharp tug of the chain and he had gone airborne, the crowd reacting in a mix of emotion that was mainly fearful surprise. It wasn't that Dave meant to get air to attack the Makaras, but rather it seemed like he had spotted an escape and tried to reach it only to realize he was on a chain leash, being toyed with to do as the ringleaders' wished.

As soon as they brought Dave back, Gamzee grabbed both chain ends for me, Porrim taking off my gloves quickly. "Sorry Karbro." Gamzee whispered in my ear. "I'll make up for this later. I promise."

With those words I was dragged roughly into the arena. I thrashed and pulled, but just as I started to get footing and almost pull free, Kurloz grabbed one end of the length of chain. They went back and forth with who tugged more, leaving me stumbling as I tried fighting against their pulls. The chain ends were clipped so I couldn't try pulling free, and they continued on their monologuing introduction. "... living off of human flesh." Kurloz stated in his usual manner, just like I had heard when he did this to my brother. "There is no name we have for the mutant."

I knew what was coming, and even though I tried lowering my head the grand reveal of yanking my hood back still got a reaction from the audience. For a moment I couldn't remember how to breath and neither could my lungs. The crowd before me looked down at me in a mix of disgust and amusement, faces mocking and scared and smirking and everything that seemed to act like a dagger with their pointed expressions and whispering comments. I searched the audience for a single face that wasn't against me, and the only one I found was that of a baby who probably couldn't even understand how to do anything on his own except go in his own diapers.

"Nothing about him seems ordinary. Horns, sharp teeth, greying skin. His blood isn't even the right color." Kurloz cut across his palm, holding it up to my face. "It's brighter than that of a regular human. Yellow claws, enormous strength, but small and looking like a child. Who wouldn't come up to help to meet certain demise?" His foot found my back, immediately I took a stance, feet spread to help keep me from hitting the ground as I forced myself back against Kurloz's kick, growling before I could catch myself. "And full of fight." He shoved me down, this time kicking the backs of my knees first before planting his foot in the middle of my back. I had cuts across my face now, and with that I was yanked to my feet.

I had cuts across my face, blood dripping. I could fight Kurloz and possibly escape, having the element of surprise on my side. But then I couldn't use it later, since they would know. His hand slid to close to my mouth, and I sunk my teeth into his finger without second thought. He yanked his hand away as several of the audience members screamed in fear. His finger was bleeding pretty badly, but he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket before wrapping it around his turn finger and glove.

I didn't mean to, but I had lost control and bitten Kurloz. I had bitten through a leather glove and broke skin, and while he acted like it was nothing I could taste the blood in my mouth. More than anything, I know they have something to do with this, how I don't know. The crowd is screaming at me.

"Freak!"

"What the hell?"

"What's wrong with him?"

"He really is a cannibal!"

"Why does he look like that?"

"What a weird!"

I am a mutant and everyone here knows it.


	13. Chapter 13

(Author's Note: In honor of the fallen in the update, I solemnly swear I won't brutally murder Karkat, Gamzee, Dave, Jake, Jane, Kanaya, or other kids or betas involved in the story like originally planned, minus Kurloz. I'm not promising no deaths or violence, just not both at the same time. If you were here for that I apologize, but that's what's going to happen anymore.)

I was dragged kicking and screaming back to my crate, and I don't really care if I bit anyone now. I want out of this hell hole, and Dave can give me a hell fucking yes in agreement on this decision considering he is struggling in his chains right now. Kurloz was just standing there watching me with his usually stone cold expression, like he was waiting for me to calm down and couldn't care less that I'm why he's dripping blood everywhere. Honestly, he might need stitches for that and probably should be getting some.

The worst part wasn't even that he was dripping blood everywhere, it was the smile pulling at the edge of his lips that scared the shit out of me. He knew something I didn't, he probably planned this all out with his freaky psychic craziness, except how could he do that? I'm not sure if there is a way to bring the hunger out at all or any way to explain how I'm suddenly hungrier than a week of avoiding eating. Dave didn't seem too much better off, more like he was drugged and struggling to not passing out on the floor. Kurloz decided he was done waiting after turning around to see Dave face down on the ground.

He opened the crate stepping inside like he was calmly coming home. I moved as far back as I could, not sure if I wanted to deal with the backlash of biting him. A warm smile spread across his lips as he moved closer and I tried moving back only to reach the end of the chains, falling over and landing hard on the floor and still trying to back up. Of course, I can't fucking go anywhere, so he caught up to me easy enough. He leaned down basically on top of me, and without even a single fucking hesitation, no concern at all in his still warmly smiling face as his good hand went under my face and tilted it up to look at him, then side to side.

"You're scratched up." Does this asshole want to get bitten again?! I could already feel my train of thought being shoved towards hunger and trying to bite him. I mean, he is the reason I bit him in the first place, he had to be. And he hurt me, kidnapped and caged Dave and I, everything he did to my brother, all of which definitely warrants biting him. He seemed to find it funny that I was trying not to attack him. "What's wrong?"

"Unless you want more fucking stitches back up until you see a sign telling you you've left town." He held his bloody hand in front of me. "God damn it, stop that you moronic excuse of a clown! See, this... this is why you got bitten in the first fucking place!"

He smirked, pulling back to check outside the crate before looking back my way. "My brother wouldn't find you dangerous, and I had to convince him." He yanked up the chains, dragging me along roughly. I can't believe I tried, but I tried leaning and pulling back against the chains in a desperate attempt to stay in the cage. I even tried digging in my heels as I reached the metal edge only to fail.

While I had no footing on smooth metal, I have footing on dirt once I managed to get upright. Kurloz wrestled with the chains the way he seemed a master of, but due to the fact he had a gash in his finger just barely going to his hand, he wasn't so good at holding onto them. His grip slipped and he was tugged off his feet as well, and instead of just tumbling over I bolted. Of course, now I had access to my claws, so I had blood drawn in seconds and locks opened as I stumbled forward. As soon as I got the locks off it was run like hell mode.

I managed to get a hundred feet into the forest before I remembered that these jackasses had also captured Dave and guilt was a thing that existed due to the fact I was now a friend of Dave's. I sighed and snuck back into the tent at a begrudgingly slow pace. It is not like I ditched a dangerous murderous human clown who is a terrifyingly good at hunting strange creatures such as everyone I ever seem to find. Why can't I ever find normal human friends... besides the fact I'm a troll?

Going back into the storage area felt like the stupidest thing I've ever done, but I did it anyway because friendship is like an infectious disease that was destroying my ability to reason. The only flaw with this plan is all the things I missed running out didn't go anywhere. Bloodied equipment, ragged clothes, patching for the tent, the occasional strange animal, and every now and then a circus worker. I spotted some kids stuck where they were like how it had been with Eridan, and all I could do was sigh. If I was going to set people free I might as well go all the way and release people like a maniac.

One kid didn't look very good, in fact he kind looked like he had given up. He just sat there with glowing girl by his side. The two contrasted a lot, glowing girl in a red skirt that completely covered her legs even as she leaned against a stack of crates, the boy sprawled on the floor like he was knocked to the ground and glowing girl lifted him up by the front of his shirt in a way he was fine with. With his busted prosthetic leg I wouldn't blame him. The girl seemed to have her mouth at his neck, but he didn't seem to be moving to much. "What the hell are you two doing?"

The girl moved back immediately, bronze dripping down her face. "Kanaya!" The boy cried as she promptly dropped him.

"Sorry Tavros." She helped him into a sitting position before whipping her mouth. Kanaya looked over to me with a questioning glance. "Didn't they chain you up?"

"Didn't they do that to you?"

"My sister keeps me from leaving. You have nothing nailing you here, and yet you stay."

"Dave and my brother."

"I stand corrected."

"Wait." Tavros asked. "You wouldn't happen to, I don't know, uh, know where Eridan went?"

"Dave and his brother carried him off to their secret base. He's fine."

They both seemed interested. "If we helped you, could we come with you?" Kanaya asked. "It's not exactly optimal to be stuck in a hunter's display case, much less a freak show."

I hate empathy. "I can create a distraction if you two want to run now, so pick up Tavros." Kanaya picked up Tavros like he was light as a feather. "Follow me till we get out of the tent then make a break for it. Just run through the woods and don't come back."

"What if we run into someone?"

"I'm going to keep them off your ass. Do you want my help or should I continue helping my feathery friend?" She promptly shut her mouth and tightened her grip on Tavros. "If that happens, can you find someone named John Egbert and tell to call a Mister Vantas?"

"I will."

"I don't trust you, but let's go." I managed to sneak them out of the tent with almost no problem, occasionally having to hide behind crates at the sign of someone coming. We reached the edge of the tent, the coast completely clear. "Now run for it."

"Karkat."

"Why do you look so scared?" I knew why when a bloody hand clamped over my mouth. Kanaya bolted off and definitely made it into the distance without being stopped, but I was dragged kicking and screaming into the tent. Again. The fact this isn't the first time should make me rethink how I live my life, but it's too late to do that now.

Of course, I wasn't dragged to far kicking and screaming before I had to actually resist the urge to bite this bloody nut job. Since I was struggling against myself more than I was against him, he pinned me to the ground and handcuffed my hands behind. I'm not sure if I should be concerned he has handcuffs on him casually or that I'm more concerned about his injury than he is about it. He dragged me roughly back out of the tent and quickly into what could be his trailer way to fast for what could be good. That is always a sign you are in some deep shit.


	14. Chapter 14

If someone looked up the secret hideout of a villain from a horror movie, they would find a picture that roughly looked like the room I was dragged into. Kurloz's room had a single bare lightbulb dangling from the middle of the enclosed space, fabric scattered on the table with needles and knives instead of scissors to cut fabric like a sane person, pins jammed into the booth table seating, sink a mess of bloody cutlery and dirty dishes, little voodoo doll guys hanging everywhere, a knife jammed into the wall, clubs leaned against the wall in the corner... I'm terrified of what happens in this trailer.

Luckily or unluckily, I was dragged through the trailer into the only back room in this trailer. Since being dragged through a scene from a horror movie always ends badly for everyone, I tried fighting back. I was actually excited when I managed to pull free only to feel something nail me in the back of the head and black out.

I slowly came around to consciousness, definitely having a horrible headache. I need to reevaluate my life, because I'm handcuffed to some bed in a room I don't recognize after being knocked unconscious... again... within a week of the last time this happened. Unfortunately the Strider residence accident was the second time and Nepeta was responsible for the first time, but those times were justifiable. This time however I really don't want to know what is in store for me. I slowly move my head to look anyway.

I am in what I think is crab pajamas only meant for children that fit me very well, handcuffed by my ankles. This whole room looked like it belonged to some occult obsessed goth teen, complete with creepy posters. I don't feel happy about any of this current turn off events or anything having to do with this stupid carnival. Kurloz was working on something off in the corner that I had no idea if I should be afraid of it or happy him being distracted.

He turned around, finger finally stitched up. "You're awake." He was over me in an instant, and just when I think maybe the hunger is gone it flares up so badly I have no clue what happened for a moment. Next thing I knew I was panting, legs on the bed and the rest of me on the floor, blood dripping from my chin and all over my hands. Kurloz had his back to the wall, and surprisingly he only had a scratch on his chin. The rest of the blood was from Gamzee, cuts running down his face and into his arm like a bear had taken a swipe at him. His expression was at a loss.

"Why would you hurt me Karbro? Aren't we friends?"

"Gamzee... I... I didn't mean it!"

He sat there, hands held out enough for him to watch his blood drip down on them. "Who even hurts their bro on accident?"

"Gamzee, something's wrong with me-"

"Yeah, I get that." He looks up at me like I was the crazy one in the room.

"Gamzee, please! It was hunger!" I looked back down to my bloodied hands. "It's still here, it won't go away. You have to understand, if a troll's hunger gets to strong they get out of control. I never consciously tried to hurt, but something is wrong with it. It's been way to strong ever since I got here-"

"So this is the carnival's fault?"

"No, I don't know what's doing it."

Gamzee turned to Kurloz, who still had his arm out in front of him. "Is there a way to fix it?" Just as proof that there is no higher power looking out for me, Kurloz nodded. "See Karbro? My invertebrother here will figure it out. You'll be back to normal in no time!" He almost moved to hug me, only to catch himself. "Of, can't hug you, right."

"Oh fucking-" Porrim caught herself, and I looked over to see her in the doorway. She edged her way to Gamzee, leading him back out along the wall. "You are going to need stitches. You okay there Kurloz?" He nodded. "What the hell happened in here?"

He motioned my way. "Hunger took over."

"Feed him more than what your brother already has." Porrim hurried Gamzee out the door. I wish I could have found reason to beg her to stay, but words ran away silently screaming. As soon as the door clicked shut I was being dragged back onto the bed.

"Leave me alone!" I tried pulling from Kurloz's grip, but he pinned me on my back, a single pair of handcuffs around a bar in the headboard forced their way around my wrists. I was stretched across the bed, arms up and handcuffed, legs sort of spread by the cuff on each ankle to a bedpost. Cute little crab pajamas stained red with the blood of the only guy I stood a chance convincing to allow me more freedom and my first friend I had made in my life, and honestly a bit to small for comfort. Kurloz was over me with a smirk. I've never been more terrified, and that was exactly when I could feel hot tears streak down the sides of my face. "What do you want?"

Kurloz just stayed over me on his knees, digging around in his pockets. When he held up a vial to the light I fell my blood run cold, but he put it back in his pocket and continued digging through them. A moment later he held a different vial up to the light, and slowly brought it down so it was above my mouth. "Drink it."

If it weren't for the fact it was over my mouth I would ask why. I stared at him, then the vial, back and forth in hopes he would get how suspicious this whole set up is. "Sedative." He stated, other hand at the side of my head as what had to be his thumb pushed at my mouth. "Take it."  
>I had to fight hard not to slip up and open my fat mouth to say something. His weight dropped down on me as he slipped down from on his knees, and I sucked in a breath to keep from opening my mouth. He readjusted his sitting position, and I opened my mouth instantly to get disgusting liquids forced down my throat.<p>

I was expecting to pass out, but I didn't. Instead I stopped shaking, my breaths becoming even again despite the fact I had just been crying. I couldn't feel my limbs, and as soon as I had stopped struggling he set to work. I really should be freaking out right now, but I can't do anything anyway, so I lay there with Kurloz pulling out who knows what and digging through his cabinets and drawers.

He was silent except for the sounds of opening and closing doors, light clink of glass together, and the sounds of him setting everything down. He was mixing something, what I don't know since my neck doesn't want to cooperate with me. Kurloz leaned over, pouring the grossest tasting thing I've ever had down my throat, and if the taste wasn't bad enough it was basically slime. On the bright side, the hunger slowly faded back to normal. On the down side, now I was completely sane and sedated in a room with Kurloz.

"How?" Darn it words, work with me here!

"I knew the spell."

"Knew?"

"Yes." That motherfucker knew about the hunger spell, which means...

"You?" He nodded. "Why?"

He just shrugged. "Needed to scare Gamzee away from you. Didn't expect to get bitten myself. Didn't expect to like it."

Oh. I really don't like Kurloz. Of course, it was just my luck that I can't move.


	15. Chapter 15

When I was dragged back to my cage I was exhausted and dizzy. Kurloz was now missing a chunk out of his arm, both arms peppered with bite marks and a bloody nose. The sedatives had worn off right as he had taken off my cuffs and shirt, Gamzee and Porrim coming back in after I head-butted him. I wasn't exactly scratch free though, a scratch from Kurloz's nails on my sides and a blaring headache from him trying to knock me out by digging his fingertips into the base off my horns. Kurloz's only response to me being dragged back to my cage was a smirk as stared at me, sitting in his own blood like a weirdo. Meulin was going over his wounds and cuddling him as the two had disappeared from my line of sight.

They chained me by my ankles, not really wanting to get to close to my face or claws. Gamzee hugged me before he left with Porrim to check on his brother again. "I'll be back to fix you up Karbro, I promise." Gamzee called back to me as he left. I collapsed exhausted to the ground, panting as I focused on sealing up my wounds.

A low groan sounded, but it wasn't Dave. "Karkat? What..." John, in an olden style Victorian looking dress of all things, looked over from where he was with his wrist chained up above him. Jane was across the cage from him with a fake mustache, big baggy brown trowsers and suspenders over a white dress shirt. The two had seemed to be in their usual biologies with Jane's boobs evident and the front of John's dress not fitting quite right. John noticed the chains quickly, rattling them roughly, which woke up Dave.

He woke with a start, wings fluttering as he brought his arms up to defend himself, gash down the side of his face clear as day. He looked around, spotting me the fear left his eyes. "Were you rattling chains?"

"Unfortunatly, I have a shitload of bad news for you. One, I'm to exhausted to rattle the chains on my ankles because Kurloz attacked me. Two, please start screaming if you spot Kurloz so I can be ready to fight him off. Three, Egbert is the next cage over from you and rattling his chains really loud. Four, Jane is in there with him, although she is still unconscious."

"Are you serious?"

"I'm in here Dave." John spoke up, surprisingly calm.

Dave buried his head in his hands a moment. "Fuck me!"

"We have more pressing matters than your sexual desires. Any ideas on how to get out?"

"John..." Dave started.

"I know...It's the plan actually, it's just..." John's face went red. "Don't look out of the cage... for a while."

"I'm too exhausted to move." I sighed.

"Fine, just... close your eyes maybe?"

"Why?"

"I can turn into the wind, but sometimes...my clothes don't... come... with me? I don't know why, but they just don't all the time."

"Did you show up in that dress or-"

"Oh no. Why am I in a dress?" John went wide eyed. "I was wearing better clothes! That's it, I can't anymore! Dresses won't work, nope, I'm not doing this! Dresses haven't worked with me once!"

"They will fucking torture you and put your mutation on display and you're worried about clothes? Can't you just go anonymous on us or something?" Dave was up against the side of his cage closest to John.

"Oh yeah!" John disappeared in a gust of wind, reappearing with the physical likeness of a living John clothes mannequin in between the cages. "That feels really weird!" He was trying to unlock the door to the cage he had been in a moment later.

"John, you need a lock picking thing." I looked to the blood on my hand, putting my energy into forming it into something. It became basically a thin stick, but didn't have the energy to move my arm to throw it to John. It sort of was rolled over close to the bars. "John, get your ass over here to accept my crappy torn sheet and lock picking device made of blood." I slowly pushed over my sheet from around me.

"Wow, that totally didn't sound creepy." John quickly put the sheet on, tying it in place before grabbing the blood pick. He was busily banging away at the door, trying to pick open my cage when Gamzee quickly clamped his hand and a cloth over John's face. John managed to escape from Gamzee's grip in time to collapse to the ground. If it weren't for the fact I was so tired I can barely move I would react more, but did sigh for the almost naked boy on the ground. John was dragged back into the cage, something painted on his forehead before he was wrestled back into the dress and chained up.

I didn't have energy to protest as Gamzee came in. He couldn't get me to stay sitting up, so he just patched me up after rolling me onto my back so he could patch them all. It was not hard to stay awake with the sting of rubbing alcohol as he cleaned up my sides and his insanely tight hug as soon as the bandages were on. "I've got you Karbro." He whispered. I felt my head spinning, and I felt like I was running low on air. "Are you okay? Karbro...Karbro..."

I woke up with a spinning head, everything feeling cold and the walls around me closer. I could feel myself surrounded by the smooth wall, but I couldn't quite make out what was going on. A rub of my eyes and I for a second thought I was free only to realize that, while I was out of a metal cage, I was in a jar that was much tougher than it seemed. I got up quickly, the damn thing tipping over and dragging me with me to slam into the ground. It suddenly stopped as it smacked into the ground, but despite the rocky ground I didn't hear any cracking.

I was stuck on my side, stretching out from my balled up position to try pushing out the cork. It unfortunatly didn't work, my efforts completely useless with my lack of traction. I debated taking off my socks, but the glass was even slippery to my bare hands. I propped myself up on my hands in this sidewise space, looking for something that could help me figure out where I am. I spot John in a jar not far away, sleeping in his frilly looking blue dress at the bottom of a jar. The distance wasn't to far, so I tried rolling over to him, which was a nauseating task in its self.

I rolled straight into John's jar, but due to the fact the opposite side was up against crates he stayed upright. My fist pounded on the side as I tried waking him up. "John! Get your lazy ass self up you miserable excuse of a paranormal club leader before I proceed to punch straight through these giant ass jars to kick your ass! Get up right now!" He started to stir, eyes still closed but arms stretching above him as he woke up. "I'm not waiting for you to stretch, so get the hell up!" I tried slamming into his jar as hard as possible, only to wake him up with a start.

His eyes snapped open, and quickly he looked around. He wasn't so much concerned as he was confused. I couldn't hear some of his words at first, but slowly he got louder as he pounded both his hands against the sides, light taps and muffled thumps sounding as he did so. "Karkat! Can you here me?" His voice came through fairly muffled, a whisper in volume although he seemed to be talking loudly.

"I can hear you. Can you hear me?"

"I can hear you!"

"Good. Can you get out?"

"Hold on." Wind whips up his hair and bits of his clothes, but otherwise he stays put. He definitely looks worried, standing up to try pushing the cork loose only to fail. He punched the cork as hard as he could a few times, but it wouldn't seem to budge. "It..." He tried twisting it with the grip he could get on the holes in the cork, though it didn't work. "I think it can only be opened from the outside!"

"No reason to get your panties in a knot. We can get through this." I thought I heard something, turning over as well as I could. "Sorry to go off with a pun, but I need to roll out!" I then forced the jar to roll towards the sound as John banged on the side of his jar roughly in what was probably an attempt to tip it over. He couldn't roll with me for now, which is good because this was making me dizzy as hell.

When I finally got to the source of the noise, it was Dave. They were trying to knock him out with the cloth in hand, Dave kicking and screaming at their attempts. I was to far away to be of any use due to the fact that I felt like I was going to throw up if I continued. I held my head, trying to get it to stop spinning, when suddenly the jar went upright. Behold my undoing, the sweaty guy holding the jar upright so I couldn't knock it over again. "It appears the mutant escaped."

Dave looked over, but as soon as he stopped struggling so hard to look Kurloz clamped a hand over his face and smothered him with the cloth. Dave struggled, but he quickly lost, slumping over in the Makaras' grip. Kurloz came over towards me, metal clicking and clinking before the cork came out, and the cloth was held to my face. My vision blurred, and while I tried staying conscious, I slowly slipped into sleep.


	16. Chapter 16

I opened my eyes as I heard the familiar sound of a rolling door to the back of a moving truck get tugged down. I managed to get to my feet and peer over the edges of boxes to see the approaching dawn a moment as the door slid closed, metal clunk of the door closing. I tried forcing open the jar, try banging on the sides to get it to budge, tried tossing my weight to the side to get it to tip, but nothing worked. As the roar of the engine sounded I slipped back down to the bottom, the feeling of the vehicle going into motion catching me by surprise. I had lost.

There is no doubt in my mind that somehow these jars are warded, and I'm basically doomed to be trapped with the carnival along with Dave and John. I had given escaping my all and it wasn't enough. I looked around, my glowing eyes dimly reflecting back at me, and around me they were sleeping. I banged on the sides a few more times hopelessly, I even scratched at my arms and tried getting my blood to form something, anything at all, but all I got were scratches running down my arms. It can't end like this, it just can't!

I was crying like a baby, scratching at the walls of the jar like somehow I could get it open. I gave up as the vehicle seemed to hit a bump. My fingertips ached, and the glass had cut them up, blood in the glass scratches and starting to go down my fingers. I heard something bang on glass, turning to see Jane looking over to me. "Karkat!" Jane's voice was muffled and covered a bit by the sound of a running motor. "Where are we?"

"The carnival is moving!"

"What?!" She started immediately tried messing with the cork.

"It's warded!" She looked like she was going to say something, but one look at me and she shut her mouth again, going back to trying to get the cork loose. She dug her fingers into it before trying to twist, and while she got the cork to move, it stubbornly stayed in place.

"They are fastened in place from the outside!" Jane pulled her hand back quickly. "And there is metal in the cork!"

"Why in the fuck would they do that?"

"I don't know! To keep it from breaking easily?" Jane slipped off her shoe before going to work hacking at the cork with it. Eventually she hacked away all the cork that had been under the metal ward in the cork, her shoe not fitting between the gaps in the metal. The vehicle hit another bump, startling Dave awake, another bump not a moment later getting John from barely waking to wide awake.

"Ow!" John held his hands to his face a moment.

Dave looked around, spotting the metal unburied from the cork. "You're kidding me."

"Ward in the cork, we are on the move, and these jars are tough as fuck!"

"We can't be stuck in here." With that Dave dug his nails into the cork and started ripping out chunks. He slowed a little around the metal, uncovering it at before yanking it down as hard as he could. It cut his fingers up, but with another tug of inhuman strength the metal ripped out of the cork and hit him on the leg. We tried to protest and tell him to slow down so he wouldn't hurt himself, but he ignored the gash just above his knee and continued. Several more chunks of cork were yanked out before he yanked out a second hunk of metal, clawing the rest of the way through the cork seconds after. A push of the metal cover that had once been buried in cork easily to the side and he managed to wiggle free.

I barely saw what nailed Dave in the side of the head as he had almost pulled himself out. Blood dripped down the glass, but he was one motivated motherfucker and was out. I tried clawing at the cork, but I had worn the sharpness from my nails when I scratched at the glass. I was going to have as much clawing my way out as John or Jane. All hope of escape at the moment laid in Dave defeating whoever it was that attacked him and coming back to help get us out.

A smooth laugh rang out, and it was obviously a certain psychotic clown. No one expected the car to swerve, Dave coming back into view with glowing blood red eyes as he growled, wings flapping to keep him from crashing into the wall. A loud thud hit the wall, Kurloz unable to stop his motion in time. Despite how small the space was, Dave was now at the advantage with flight on his side.

The truck took another sharp swerve, claws sounding against the side and a thump and cursing another direction. The fact I could hear this over the squeal of tires and growing roar of the motor was amazing to me. Everyone was flung forward as the brakes seemed to be punched and the trailer continued to swerve back and forth. "How hard is it to drive like your head isn't up your as and brake like a normal person with half a brain!" I screeched as I tried bracing myself. The glass scratches were scratching me back every time I got tossed into them.

Dave immediately dropped next to the jars. "Someone just shot at the truck."

"What?!"

The truck once again started moving in ways it shouldn't, swerving a nauseating amount. Dave was gripping the top of John's jar with his hands and feet, staying stone still despite the rest of the trailer feeling like it was going sideways. As soon as it came to a complete stop Dave started trying to pry open John's jar only to get nailed in the side of the head with a club. As he tried getting back up, the end was practically breathing down his neck. I desperately tried getting the cork loose.

Light flooded the trailer as the metal door rattled open. Gunshots echoed through the trailer and as soon as I could I opened my eyes. Dave was completely fine, and immediately a tall blond was by his side, checking him over. "I found them! Their back here." The man had a smooth Texan accent, and I was worried until I saw Dave just collapse into his arms without a care.

Crates were yanked out of the way, and there stood a man in slacks, shirt, and tie, his hat over his eyes, and next to him the mountain of a man I had known for forever. "Crabdad!" I stood up in the jar, waterworks starting up just over the fact he saved my sorry ass.

"Let's get you out of there." He pried the cork off, reaching in and helping me out. I almost slipped back in with how beaten up I am, from the day before and trying to force my way out today, but hauled me out and held me in his arms. I looked over to see John windy-thing out of the jar and hug his who was probably his dad. "Karkat, these guys are Mr. Egbert," he turned towards the man Jane and John were hugging," and that is Mr. Strider." He turned toward the man who just picked up Dave. "Outside is Ms. Lalonde, Mrs. English, And Mr. Harley. You are fucking luck that they helped get you and your friends back, cause taking on this carnival was harder than fuckin' hell!"

"I accept all punishment."

"You are going to have to eat and sit through Nepeta checking you over. She'll be here tomorrow."

"I don't even care. Please just take me home."

"Anything you say kiddo. Get any hits in?"

"Bit a chunk out of his arm."

"Is he okay?" I looked toward the voice to see Kankri race up to me and check me over frantically. He barely was taller than me by six inches as I can tell from his height in relation to Crabdad, but he is definitely strong with the amount of chain dragging behind him. He hugged me tight, the bit of self-focused attitude he had had was gone, his face buried in my shoulder. "I thought you were dead!" I would hug back, but I'm fucking beat.

"Please tell me Kurloz isn't going to reanimate or something."

"Oh god no."

"That's some of the best news I've heard."

"What's the best?"

"We're all free again."

(authors note: That's the end of it, so thank you for reading!)


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